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Islands  of  the  Southern  Seas.      Fully  illustrated. 
8°,  $2.25. 

"  '  Islands  of  the  Southern  Seas '  is  one  of  the  few  books  of 
modern  travel  that  is  worthy  of  being  kept  and  read  over  and  over 
again.  The  illustrations  throughout  are  excellent  and  as  fittingly 
clear  and  incisive  as  the  author's  style  demands.  A  more  readable 
book  on  the  nowadays  somewhat  hackneyed  subject  of  travel  in 
the  Southern  Seas  has  never  been  printed,  and  we  unhesitatingly 
co  1.1  mend  it." — London  Chronicle. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS,  NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 


SANTA  LUCIA  GATE,   MONASTERY  OF  AUQUSTINES,   MANILA. 

{Frontispiece.) 


QUAINT  CORNERS 

OF 

ANCIENT  EMPIRES 

SOUTHERN  INDIA,  BURMA 

AND 

MANILA 

BY 

MICHAEL  MEYERS  SHOEMAKER 

Author  of  "  Islands  of  the  Southern  Seas,"  and  "  Palaces 
and  Prisons  of  Mary  Queen  of  Scots" 

Illustrated 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S   SONS 

NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 

Cbe  fuiicfcerbocfeer  press 
1899 


COPYRIGHT,  1899 

BY 
MICHAEL  MEYERS  SHOEMAKER 

Entered  at  Stationers'  Hall,  London 


ttbe  Iknicfccrbocfcei-  preee,  Hew  tforfc 


TO    MY   NEPHEW 

LIEUTENANT  ISRAEL  PUTNAM 

UNITED    STATES    ARMY 

WHO  RECEIVED  HIS  BAPTISM  OF  FIRE 

AT  SAN  JUAN  DEL  MONTE,  MANILA 

ON  HIS  TWENTY-FIRST  BIRTHDAY 


PREFACE 

making  many  books  there  is  no  end  "  may 
already  be  said  concerning  this  Spanish- 
American  war,  but,  so  far,  no  apology  is  needed  for 
presenting  to  our  public  any  work  upon  the  Philip- 
pines. If  an  increase  of  the  army  is  demanded  for 
these  islands  it  will  not  be  long  before  every  State 
in  the  Union  will  have  men  there  in  whom  they  are 
directly  interested,  and  the  theatre  in  which  those 
soldiers  must  play  their  parts,  and  perhaps  end  their 
lives,  cannot  but  be  of  interest  to  those  left  behind 
them,  especially  to  their  wives,  mothers,  and  sisters. 
Therefore  I  venture  to  think  that  the  following  ac- 
count of  the  city  of  Manila  with  its  surroundings 
will  prove  acceptable.  If  it  helps  "  the  women  who 
wait,"  and  who  in  so  doing  fight  the  hardest  of  all 
battles,  to  tide  over  any  of  the  weary  hours,  it  will 
have  more  than  accomplished  its  purpose. 

I  have  told  the  story  of  the  friars  in  the  Philip- 
pines as  I  learned  it  from  the  highest  English  and 
American  authorities  in  Manila, — all  men  who  have 
lived  there  for  years, — as  I  have  read  it  in  that 
standard  work  of  Foreman's,  The  Philippine  Islands, 
and  also  as  the  official  records  give  it.  It  has  not 
been  pleasant  writing,  and  it  may  be  claimed  that 


vi  Preface 

no  good  can  come  from  its  publication.  Granted, 
so  long  as  the  archipelago  belonged  to  another 
nation ;  but  the  United  States  are  now  responsible 
for  what  goes  on  in  those  islands,  and  certainly  if 
the  actions  of  these  friars  are  condoned,  if  silence  is 
allowed  to  drop  its  mantle  upon  them,  they  will 
take  heart  and  continue  in  their  old  lines — they  have 
never  known  any  other — with  the  conclusion  on  the 
part  of  the  people  that  the  Americans  are  no  better 
or  wiser  than  the  Spaniards,  and  that  one  bad  master 
has  been  exchanged  for  another.  Instead  thereof, 
they  must  be  convinced  that  our  courts  and  laws  are 
for  the  protection  of  both  friars  and  people,  and  that 
justice  and  just  punishment  will  be  meted  out  to 
both.  I  do  not  consider  that  these  friars  have  any- 
thing in  common  with  the  enlightened  Catholics  of 
Europe  and  America.  They  are  of  the  Dark  Ages, 
and  the  account  of  their  actions  will  thoroughly  as- 
tonish the  members  of  that  great  Church  in  other 
lands — actions  so  terrible  that  they  have  completely 
wiped  from  the  memory  of  the  natives  all  recollec- 
tions of  any  good  they  (the  friars)  may  have  accom- 
plished, driving  the  people  into  taking  vengeance 
even  upon  the  churches  and  the  graves  of  the  dead. 
These  friars  are  the  power  with  which  we  shall  have 
the  greatest  struggle,  because  they  have  the  most  to 
lose  through  an  enlightened  form  of  government, 
and  this  struggle  will  be  all  the  more  deadly  because 
they  will  work  in  secret,  attack  in  the  dark.  Have 
we  a  Dictator  Diaz  to  send  out  there  ?  Surely, 
when  the  American  people,  both  Catholic  and  Pro- 
testant, especially  the  former,  thoroughly  under- 
stand the  matter,  they  will  arise  and,  taking  arms 


Preface  vii 

against  this  sea  of  troubles,  end  them,  both  in  the 
Philippines  and  in  Porto  Rico,  from  whence,  I  am 
told,  like  reports  have  come.  Then  the  daily  press 
will  no  longer  be  "  afraid  to  publish,"  as  the  editor 
of  a  great  American  journal  told  me  is  now  the  case, 
facts  about  any  occurrences  in  the  lands  over  which 
waves  our  national  banner. 

But  before  reading  the  chapters  on  Manila  we  will 
journey  through  Southern  India,  from  Ceylon  to  the 
grandest  and  least  known  of  all  Hindoo  temples — 

Rameswaram  "  on  Adam's  Bridge.  Thence  to 
fantastic  Madura  and  stately  Tanjore.  Then  pass- 
ing via  Madras  and  the  Bay  of  Bengal  we  will  land 
at  Rangoon  under  that  dazzling  shrine  of  the  Bud- 
dhists, the  Great  Pagoda.  We  will  sail  up  the  Ifra- 
waddy  for  a  thousand  miles,  almost  reaching  China; 
and,  returning,  we  will  pause  in  Mandalay,  and, 
taking  quarters  in  the  palace  of  the  Queen,  inspect 
that  romantic  city  with  its  dragon  thrones,  its 
golden  palaces,  monasteries,  and  countless  pagodas, 
while  we  listen  to  its  many  legends  of  splendour 
founded  upon  wholesale  slaughter.  Passing  with 
the  gay  throngs  once  more  to  the  river,  we  will  drift 
on  to  where  the  ancient  city  of  Pagahn  has  stood 
silent  and  deserted  for  seven  hundred  years — Pagahn 
with  its  ten  thousand  shrines.  What  is  Rome  to 
this  ?  Onward  down  the  river  we  will  pass  to  Prome, 
and  from  thence  journey  to  Rangoon,  where  we  will 
take  ship  for  Manila. 

M.  M.  S. 

April,  1899. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  I 
RAMESWARAM 

PAGE 

The  Great  Temple  of  Rameswaram — Its  Isolated  Position  and 
the  Way  thither — Its  Vast  Corridors,  Holy  Tanks,  Pro- 
cessions, Jewels,  and  Legends — Life  on  the  Island  of 
Paumben — Return  to  Colombo — Indian  Magicians — Mili- 
tary Church  Service  . I 

CHAPTER  II 
THE   PLAGUE 

The  Plague — The  Means  whereby  it  Spreads — Immunity  of 
Europeans — When  the  Rats  Begin  to  Die — The  Belief  of 
the  Natives  as  to  its  Origin — Opinion  of  the  Bombay 
Doctors — The  Towers  of  Silence  during  the  Pest — The 
Gathering  of  the  Vultures  even  from  Turkestan  .  .  14 

CHAPTER  III 
MADURA 

The  Panorama  of  the  Peoples  of  India — The  Approach  to 
Madura — The  Feast  to  Shiva — The  Gopuras — Courts, 
Sanctuaries — "  Tank  of  the  Golden  Lilies"  and  the  Starv- 
ing Queen — The  Sacred  Elephants,  Bulls,  and  Parrots — 
The  Dirt  of  the  Temple — Responsibility  of  the  Sacred 
Tanks  for  the  Cholera  —  Legends  and  Treasures  of 
Madura 23 


x  Contents 

CHAPTER  IV 

TANJORE 

PAGE 

The  Palace  of  the  Rajah — Its  Pageants,  Elephants,  Musicians 
— The  Splendours  of  a  Durbar — The  Palace  Library  and 
Hall  of  Audience — The  Desolation  of  the  Whole — The 
Pagoda  of  Tanjore — Its  Stately  Appearance  and  Superb 
Carvings  in  Stone — Its  Stone  Bull  and  Holy  of  Holies 
— The  Minor  Pagodas — The  Passing  of  the  Life  and 
Wealth  of  Tajvjore 30 

CHAPTER  V 
MADRAS 

"  The  Forsaken  of  God"— The  Indian  and  English  City— The 
Vile  Hotel,  Bats,  and  Toads— The  Cobra— Habits  of  the 
Serpents  —  Harbour  of  Madras  —  Teeming  Life  on  its 
Beach — The  People  and  Crows — Plague  Inspection — Ap- 
proach of  the  Pest — The  Hand  of  England  in  India .  .  36 

CHAPTER  VI 
BAY   OF   BENGAL 

Passage  of  the  Bay — Dangers  of  an  Insufficient  Provision  for 
an  Accident — Native  Crowds  under  Deck — Life  of  a  Sa- 
loon Passenger  on  these  Ships — Edison  and  Omdurman — 
English  Opinion  of  that  $20,000,000  Paid  for  Manila — 
Cholera  on  Board — Prospect  of  Quarantine — Landing  at 
Rangoon 41 

CHAPTER  VII 
BURMA 

First  View  of  the  Great  Pagoda — Sarkie's  Abominable  Hotel 
and  the  Fight  therein — Clubs  and  Parks  of  Rangoon — 
English  Section — Value  of  Burma — Season  for  Travel — 
Departure  for  Karthay — Cool  Air  of  the  Irrawaddy — Sail 
to  Bhamo,  and  Approach  to  China — Teak  Forests — The 
Elephant  at  Work — Sagacity  and  Strength — Cost  of  a 
Healthy  Beast — Bhamo — Its  Trade  with  China — Ancient 
Joss-House  ,  . .  . .  ,  ,  .  .  .  .  46 


Contents  xi 

CHAPTER    VIII 
IRRAWADDY    AND    MANDALAY 

PAGE 

Down  the  Irrawaddy — The  Steamboats — Scenery  en  Route — 
The  Mingun  Pagoda — Approach  to  Mandalay — Appear- 
ance of  the  Outer  Town — Cleanly  Appearance  of  the 
People — The  "Fort" — Burials  Alive  under  its  Walls — 
The  "Jars  of  Oil  "  and  their  Portent — The  Golden  Palace 
— Pavilion  of  Audience  and  Dragon  Throne — King  Thee- 
baw — Upper  Burman  Club — Palace  of  the  Queen — The 
Lily  Throne  Room  and  the  Murders  which  Occurred 
there — Life  at  the  Club — Military  Smoking  Concert  in 
the  Open — Mandalay  Hill — Temple  of  the  "  Seven  Hun- 
dred Pagodas" — Sacred  White  Elephants— State  of  the 
King — Ploughing  of  the  Fields— Fears  of  Usurpation — 
Burial  of  the  King  ........  60 

CHAPTER   IX 

MONASTERIES 

Foundation  of  the  Monasteries — Queen's  Golden  Monastery  in 
Mandalay  —  Carvings  and  Gildings  —  Sleepers  and  the 
"Butterfly  Spirit" — The  Enthroned  Buddha  and  his 
Sanctuary — The  Tower  of  Contemplation — Duties  of  a 
Monk — His  Begging  Outfit — Picturesque  Costume — Clos- 
ing Services  before  the  Shrine — The  Ending  of  the  Day 
— Ritual  of  Ordination — Strange  Medicines — The  Four 
Cardinal  Sins — Punishment  for  Violation  thereof  is  Like 
that  of  the  Leper  of  Old — No  Supreme  Being — Christi- 
anity and  Buddhism  Compared 73 

CHAPTER  X 
BURMESE   CUSTOMS 

Farewell  to  Mandalay — Brilliant  Scene  on  the  River  Banks 
— The  Women  of  Burma — Their  Dress  and  Appearance 
— Childbirth  and  the  Useless  Suffering  Enforced  by 
"Custom" — Cargo  Steamers  and  the  Gay  Life  thereon — 
Marvellous  Tattooing — Its  Significance — Superstition  and 
Magic — Horrible  Customs  and  Weird  Incantations  .  .  83 


xii  Contents 

CHAPTER  XI 

ANCIENT    PAGAHN 

PAGE 

Pagodas  Crowd  the  Banks  of  the  Irrawaddy — Meaning  of  the 
Word  "Pagoda" — The  "  Kyaik-htee-yoh " — Its  Fantastic 
Position  and  Legends  —  Pagahn — A  City  Dead  Seven 
Hundred  Years — Its  Foundations — Destruction — Count- 
less Pagodas — Present  State — The  Anada  Pagoda — The 
Majestic  Appearance  of  the  Buddha — The  Solemn  Ex- 
pression of  its  Face  and  the  Meaning  thereof — "A  Face 
from  out  Nirvana,  where  no  Fear  is  " — Size  of  the  Anada 
— Its  Four  Sanctuaries — Pagoda  Slaves,  their  Service  and 
Outcast  Position — Tradition  of  their  Origin — Treachery 
of  Pagahn's  King — Petty  State  of  the  Slaves — The  Vision 
of  Vanishing  Pagahn — The  Silence  of  the  River  .  .  91 

CHAPTER  XII 
RANGOON 

The  ' '  Shway  Dagohn  Payah  " — First  Appearance  from  the  Sea 
— Its  Fascination  for  the  Traveller — Its  Age  and  Un- 
altered State — Regilding  and  the  Cost — The  Sacred  Stairs 
and  the  Dwellers  thereon — The  Marvellous  Appearance 
of  the  Great  Platform — Majestic  Appearance  of  the  Great 
Pagoda — Its  Jewelled  Umbrella  and  Golden  Bells — Lilies 
and  Lotus — The  Legend  of  the  Scarlet  Canna — Last  Ap- 
pearance of  the  Sacred  Stairs  and  Grinning  Leogryphs  .  101 

CHAPTER   XIII 

EN    ROUTE    TO    MANILA 

Departure  from  Rangoon — News  of  the  German  Emperor — 
French,  Germans,  and  English  in  the  East — Feelings  of  an 
American  on  their  Ships — Actions  of  the  Germans  there — 
Their  Relations  to  America  and  their  Sympathy  for  Spain 
— German  Designs  on  Manila — General  Lack  of  a  Proper 
Understanding  as  to  the  Cause  of  our  "  Little  War" — 
Spain's  Refusal  to  Clean  Havana — Position  of  our  Gov- 
ernment as  Regards  the  Maine — The  Cubans  and  Mexicans 


Contents  xiii 


— Effect  of  our  "Little  War" — Union  of  our  People — 
Position  of  England — Intelligent  Understanding  of  our 
"Jingoes" — Our  Histories — Our  Congressmen — Wars  of 
a  Century  ago  Relegated  to  their  Niche  in  History — 
Salute  of  our  Flag  at  Manila  by  the  English  .  .  .  108 

CHAPTER  XIV 
MANILA 

The  Stormy  China  Sea — Communication  with  the  Islands — 
First  Appearance  of  the  City — Landing — Hotels — A  De- 
votee at  the  Shrine  of  Mariana  Forced  to  Deal  with  a 
Nation  of  "To-day" — The  Result — The  American  Ac- 
cent and  Language  in  the  Far  East — First  Walks  through 
the  City— The  Rush  in  the  Streets— The  Strange  Vehicles— 
"  The  English  Hotel " — "  Carmen's  Inn  " — Shadowy  Bal- 
conies— Richly  Carved  Beds — Rickety  Furniture — The 
Ills  that  the  Flesh  is  Heir  to — Electric  Lights — Murat 
Halstead  and  the  Food  in  Manila  .  .  .  .  116 

CHAPTER  XV 
DAILY    LIFE   IN    "  BINONDO  " 

Streets  of  Manila — English  Club — Noises  and  Diseases — A 
Drive  into  the  Insurgents'  Territory — Aguinaldo's  and 
General  Otis's  Proclamations — Reports  from  Iloilo — Re- 
fusal of  Press  there  to  Print  the  President's  Proclamation 
— Spanish  Officers  and  Soldiers — The  Former  together 
with  the  Friars  to  Blame  for  Much  of  the  Present  Trouble 
— An  Invitation  to  a  Ball  on  the  "  to-be-Captured  " 
Olympia — Rumours  of  an  Attack — Closing  of  the  Shops 
in  the  City — A  General  Call  to  Arms — Wild  Scene  in  the 
Escolta — The  Water-Supply  and  its  Exposed  Condition — 
Sam  Paloc  and  its  Desecrated  Graves — Attack  on  one  of 
our  Sentries,  and  Death  of  the  Tagalos — The  I4th  Regu- 
lars— "  Retreat" — The  "Angelus"  and  the  Star-Spangled 
Banner  .  .  .  .  .  «  /  •  .  .  .  124 


xiv  Contents 

CHAPTER  XVI 
OLD    MANILA 

PACK 

Old  Manila — Effect  of  the  Earthquakes — Gloom  of  the  Ancient 
City  —  Ruins  of  Churches  and  Convents  —  The  Official 
Palace — Statue  of  Magellan — Portraits  of  Old  Spaniards — 
Portrait  of  the  Queen  and  King — View  from  the  Palace 
Windows — The  Cathedral — Desecration  of  the  Edifice  by 
the  Prisoners — Monkeys  on  the  High  Altar — Jewels  on  the 
Shrines 133 

CHAPTER  XVII 
RAMBLES   IN    OLD    MANILA 

Attack  of  the  Chinese  in  1574 — Ambition  of  the  Clergy — Dis- 
honesty of  Churchmen  and  Statesmen — Trials  of  the  Gov- 
ernors for  Stealing — Governor-General  and  his  Reputation 
— His  Wife  and  the  Jewels — The  Apportionment  of  the 
Land  by  the  Patriot  Leaders  to  Themselves — Ignorance 
of  the  People  on  the  Subject — The  Jesuits  and  their 
Monastery — Age  of  Manila's  Churches — The  Fortress  of 
Old  Manila — The  "  Black  Hole"  and  its  Victims — Arma- 
ment of  the  Fort — Officers'  Club  in  the  Fortress — Pretty 
Maidens — Ugly  and  Slovenly  Older  Women — The  Paseo 
and  Luneta — Gorgeous  Sunsets — Wonderful  Display  of 
the  Fireflies 140 

CHAPTER   XVIII 
THE   FRIARS 

The  Garrote — The  Observatory — The  Spanish  Bridge — Pass- 
age of  the  Archbishops  and  Governors-General  —  The 
Circuit  of  the  Old  City — The  Archiepiscopal  Residence — 
That  of  the  Augustines — The  Number  of  these  Institutions 
— Friars  of  the  Fifteenth  Century  Have  Nothing  in  Com- 
mon with  Enlightened  Catholics  —  The  Procurators  in 
Madrid — The  Fate  of  an  Enlightened  Brother — Power  of 
the  Friars  over  the  People — Dishonour — Prison  Record 
of  Dorothea  Arteaga — Attempt  to  Serve  a  Warrant  on  a 
Friar — Vowed  to  Celibacy,  but  Chastity  is  Unknown— 


Contents  xv 

PAGE 

Boasts  of  a  Friar — Refusal  to  Bury  the  Dead — Destruction 
of  the  Churches  by  Infuriated  Natives — Names  of  the 
Orders — Their  Enormous  Wealth — The  Convent  of  Santa 
Clara — A  Decoy  House — Events  of  1888 — The  Secret  Pass- 
age— Condition  To-day — Attempted  Entrance — Chaplain 
Pierce  of  the  I4th  Regulars  and  his  Conflict  over  the 
Schoolhouse — Aguinaldo's  Refusal  and  the  Archbishop's 
Commands — Opposition  of  the  Friars  to  Enlightenment 
— Reports  from  Porto  Rico — Obligations  of  our  Govern- 
ment— Confiscation  of  Paco  Cemetery — The  Golgotha — 
Purchase  of  a  Cemetery  for  the  Poor — Graves  of  our 
Dead  in  Paco  Campo  Santo — A  Soldier's  Funeral  .  .  149 

CHAPTER    XIX 
THE  "BROTHERHOOD  OF  BLOOD" 

Quarters  of  the  I4th  Regulars — Dinner  at  the  Mess — Rations 
of  our  Army  in  Manila — The  Hospitals  and  their  Corps — 
Condition  of  the  Men  in  Manila — Excitement  in  the  City 
—"Brotherhood  of  Human  Bloodhounds" — The  Kati- 
punan  Society — Its  Origin — Power — Operations  against 
the  Spaniards — The  First  Plot — The  Press  in  Manila — 
Punishment  of  a  Tagalo  by  a  Soldier  ....  165 

CHAPTER   XX 
TRIBES   OF    THE   ISLANDS PHILIPPINE    LEADERS 

Origin  of  the  Filipinos — The  Negritos — The  Gaddanes — The 
Head-Hunters — The  Fire  Tree — Our  Men  in  this  Climate 
— Spain  and  the  Hill  Tribes — The  Tagalos — Their  Love 
of  Dress — Native  Costume — Aguinaldo  and  his  Associates 
— Their  Robbery  of  the  People — Their  Condition  and 
Desires — Their  Characters — Chinese  "  Houses  of  Pleas- 
ure " — The  Dishonesty  of  the  People — The  Impossibility 
of  a  Protectorate  over  these  People  —  Position  of  the 
United  States— Our  Knowledge  of  the  Outer  World  .  174 

CHAPTER    XXI 
TRADE   IN    THE    PHILIPPINES 

Siege  by  the  British — Return  to  Savage  Instincts — Unable  to 
Govern  Themselves — Spain's  Dealing  with  the  People — 


xvi  Contents 

PACK 

Smuggling   in    Money  —  The    Mexican  Dollar — English 
Opinion  of  the  Islands — Mountains  and  Rivers — Effect  of 
Railways — Dissatisfaction  over  our  Tariff — English  Clubs 
-English  Advice  and  Opinion  of  the  Tagalos  .         .         .     182 

CHAPTER  XXII 
CAVITE 

Impossible  to  Travel  through  the  Islands — Courtesy  of  Admiral 
Dewey — His  Appearance  and  Character — Manila  Bay — 
Our  Fleet — The  Spanish  Ships — Cavite — Fortress  and 
Arsenal — Its  Appearance — Desecrated  Churches — Ruined 
Alameda — Forts  of  the  Town — End  of  the  Spanish  Em- 
pire— The  Pageant  of  Centuries — Spain's  Present  Con- 
dition and  Opportunities — Departure  on  the  Zafiro — 
Island  of  Corregidor  —  The  Southern  Cross  —  Spanish 
Prizes — Hong  Kong — Affected  by  the  War — China  the 
Coming  Country — Old  Shanghai  and  its  Horrors  .  .189 

CHAPTER  XXIII 
LOOKING    BACKWARD 

Present  State  of  Japan — Effect  of  the  Chinese  War — Fear  of 
the  Foreign  Residents — Eastern  Races  versus  the  Ameri- 
can Negro — Scene  in  Florida — Japanese  Application  of 
Western  Civilisation — Their  Steamships — The  Chinese 
Prisoners — Fair  Play  Unknown — Filipinos  Compared  to 
Japanese 202 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


SANTA  LUCIA  GATE  AND  MONASTERY  OF  AUG- 
USTINES,  MANILA    .        .        .        Frontispiece 

INDIA 

APPROACH  TO  RAMESWARAM         ....  2 

RAMESWARAM 8 

NATIVE  CART,  MADURA 22 

ENTRANCE  AND  GREAT  GOPURA,  MADURA          .  24 

STONE  CARVINGS,  MADURA 26 

TANK  OF  THE  "  GOLDEN  LILIES,"  MADURA          .  28 

STATE  PROCESSION  OF  ELEPHANTS,  TANJORE       .  30 

DURBAR  SALON,  TANJORE     .....  32 

GREAT  PAGODA,  TANJORE 34 

STONE  BULL,  TANJORE 36 

BURMA 

UPPER  IRRAWADDY 52 

ELEPHANTS  AT  WORK 54 

WALLS  OF  "THE  FORT,"  MANDALAY           -.        .  64 
DRAGON   THRONE   OF   KING   THEEBAW,  MANDA- 
LAY          .....         v        ..  66 
GOLDEN    PALACE    OF    KING   THEEBAW,   MANDA- 
LAY             68 

THE  "  750  PAGODAS,"  MANDALAY        .        .       ...  70 


xviii  Illustrations 


PAGE 


THE  "  750  PAGODAS,"  MANDALAY        .        .        .72 
QUEEN'S  GOLDEN  MONASTERY,  MANDALAY          .  74 
ENSHRINED   BUDDHA,  QUEEN'S  GOLDEN  MONAS- 
TERY         .  76 

BUDDHIST  PRIEST,  MANDALAY      ....  80 

BURMESE  WOMAN,  MANDALAY       ....  84 

TATTOOED  BOY  MANDALAY          ....  88 

"  KYAIK-HTEE-YOH  PAGODA  "               .        .  .92 

"  MIEN  "  OR  PAGAHN  AS  MARCO  POLO  SAW  IT  94 

"  MIEN  "  OR  PAGAHN  SHOWING  ANADA  PAGODA  96 

GREAT  BUDDHA  OF  ANADA  PAGODA,  PAGAHN     .  98 

ENTRANCE  TO  THE  "  SHWAY  DAGOHN,"  RANGOON  102 

THE  "  SHWAY  DAGOHN  "               ...        .  104 

COURT   OF   THE   DYING   BUDDHA,  "  SHWAY   DA- 
GOHN "......                .  106 

ENSHRINED  GAUTAMAS,  "  SHWAY  DAGOHN  "        .  108 
WOOD  CARVING,  "SHWAY  DAGOHN"    .        .        .no 

MANILA 

A  CARROMATO,  MANILA        .        .        »                .  120 

THE  "  ESCOLTA,"  MANILA     .        .        .        .        . .  122 

SANTALON    ROAD   WITH   WATER   WORKS    MAIN, 

MANILA 130 

GRAND  STAIRCASE,  OFFICIAL  PALACE,  MANILA  136 
CATHEDRAL  AND  EARTHQUAKE  RUINS,  MANILA  138 
SAN  JUAN  DEL  MONTE,  OLDEST  CHURCH  IN  MAN- 
ILA      142 

WALLED  CITY  AND  BISHOP'S  PALACE  FROM  THE 

LUNETA,  MANILA    .        .        .        .        .        .  146 

THE  GARROTE,  MANILA         .....  150 

MONASTERY  OF  THE  AUGUSTINES,  MANILA          .  152 

NATIVE  STREET,  MANILA      .        .        .        .        .  168 

PETTY  KING  OF  TINGANOS,  LUZON       .        .        .174 
TAGAL  WOMAN,  MANILA       .        .        .        .        .176 


Illustrations 


XIX 


PAGE 

AGUINALDO  AND  ASSOCIATES  .  .  .  .178 
POLITICAL  EXECUTION  ON  THE  LUNETA,  MANILA  184 
CAVITE — BAY  AND  ARSENAL — SHOWING  SPANISH 

WRECKS 194 


QUAINT  CORNERS 
OF  ANCIENT  EMPIRES 


CHAPTER  I 

RAM  ESW  ARAM 

The  Great  Temple  of  Rameswaram — Its  Isolated  Position  and  the 
Way  thither — Its  Vast  Corridors,  Holy  Tanks,  Processions, 
Jewels,  and  Legends — Life  on  the  Island  of  Paumben — Return 
to  Colombo — Indian  Magicians — Military  Church  Service. 

RAMESWARAM,  the  most  venerated,  the  most 
magnificent,  and  the  largest  of  Hindoo  tem- 
ples, is  situated  on  a  lonely,  sandy  island  close 
under  the  shores  of  Southern  India,  an  island  which, 
with  its  neighbours  and  the  connecting  reefs,  forms 
what  is  called  Adam's  Bridge,  uniting  Ceylon"  with 
the  continent  of  Asia.  In  the  narrow  passages  open 
to  the  sea,  the  waters  make  constant  complaint 
against  their  tumultuous  existence.  During  the 
south-west  monsoon  the  waves  of  the  Indian  Ocean 
are  driven  northward  past  Cape  Comorin  and  on 
into  the  Gulf  of  Kandy  (also  called  "  Manar  "),  to 


2      Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

be  forced  finally  with  tremendous  roaring  through 
these  straits.  When  the  monsoon  from  the  north- 
east comes  on,  the  waters  of  the  Bay  of  Bengal  are 
sent  with  equal  power  southward,  so  that  here  there 
is  never  any  rest. 

Holy  Rameswaram,  therefore,  is  not  easy  of  access. 
The  traveller  to-day  must  take  ship  from  Colombo 
or  Nagapatam  to  Paumben,  the  seaport  of  this 
island.  He  will  be  landed  from  a  native  dhow  on 
a  rough  coast.  Those  who  carry  him  ashore  will 
probably  drop  him  just  where  the  waves  will  reach 
to  his  knees.  Paumben  is  a  desolate  collection  of 
native  huts,  with  the  bungalows  of  two  Englishmen 
who  are  stationed  here  as  agents  in  the  coolie  trade 
to  Ceylon.  There  is  no  Rest-house  or  Dak  Bunga- 
low, and  unless  the  Englishmen  take  pity  on  you, 
you  must  sleep  in  the  open  air,  inspected  at  frequent 
intervals  by  the  many  native  dogs.  I  was  so  fort- 
unate as  to  secure  the  good-will  of  Mr.  Wilkinson, 
who  turned  over  his  bungalow  to  me,  and  placed  at 
my  disposal  his  gharry  and  bullocks.  Climbing  into 
the  little  black  vehicle,  I  sat  perforce  with  a  foot  out 
of  each  window,  and  was  bowled  along  at  a  smart 
trot  by  the  bullocks,  after  their  driver  had  induced 
them  to  pass  their  stable. 

Rameswaram  is  some  eight  miles  distant  across 
the  island,  and  a  comparatively  good  road  has  been 
constructed  thereto  by  the  Madras  Government. 
The  way  is,  as  it  were,  an  Indian  Appian  Way. 
There  are  many  temples  and  shrines,  many  tanks 
and  basins,  wherein  the  people  bathe  and  pray, 
while  countless  pilgrims  pass  onwards  towards  this 
Mecca  of  their  faith.  All  the  vivid  colouring  of 


Rameswaram  3 

the  East,  toned  to  an  artistic  softness,  glows  in  the 
garments  of  the  multitude.  Moss  green,  dull  red, 
and  gold  are  the  favoured  hues;  the  material  is 
coarse  and  cheap,  but  arranged  with  a  grace  never 
found  in  our  world  of  fashion.  Yonder  dark-eyed 
maiden  stands  robed  in  scarlet ;  on  each  toe  glitter 
two  or  three  silver  rings;  her  arms  are  laden  with 
bangles  almost  to  the  elbows,  and  her  ears  bear  long 
gold  rings,  while  her  left  nostril  has  been  pierced 
and  a  tiny  gold  flower  shines  against  the  dark  skin. 
Yonder  boy,  clothed  in  a  string  around  his  loins, 
has  eight  rings  piercing  the  rims  of  each  of  his  ears. 
In  the  background  rise  the  grotesque  columns  of  a 
Hindoo  shrine;  its  black,  stone  bull  is  covered  with 
yellow  flowers,  while  the  roof  of  its  pagoda  holds 
countless  images  of  Brahma  in  all  his  many  shapes 
and  attributes. 

Here  is  a  temple  in  the  midst  of  a  square  basin 
full  of  slime.  Down  the  steps  which  enclose  it 
crowd  the  people,  stooping  ever  and  anon  to  ques- 
tion the  many  priests,  and  then  bathing  in  and 
drinking  the  sacred  water. 

At  last,  at  the  end  of  the  long  avenue,  rises  the 
great  gopura  of  the  temple  of  Rameswaram,  each 
receding  story  of  which  is  encrusted  with  countless 
statues  of  Hindoo  deities,  which  gaze  down  in 
indignant  amazement  at  the  solitary  traveller  in 
strange  clothes,  who  comes  in  simple  curiosity,  and 
not  as  a  pilgrim  laden  with  gifts  to  the  gods. 

Passing  through  the  portal  which  is  formed  by 
three  monoliths,  those  at  the  sides  being  each  nine- 
teen feet  in  height,  the  traveller  stands  in  silent 
wonder  at  the  scene  before  him.  A  shadowy  corri- 


4    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

dor  stretches  away  until  in  the  far  perspective  it 
ends  in  the  sanctuary  where  a  golden  bull  is  all 
ablaze  in  the  light  of  the  noonday  sun.  The  walls 
rise  some  thirty  feet  above  one  and  are  richly  painted 
in  Hindoo  designs;  each  column  is  formed  by  the 
grotesque  and  colossal  statue  of  some  god  or  animal 
sacred  to  that  creed,  and  is  carved  from  a  single 
stone.  Here  is  the  triple-faced  god  Brahma,  yonder 
a  grotesque  ape,  followed  by  a  line  of  old  mahara- 
jas.  There  is  Shiva  alone,  and  yonder  the  monkey- 
faced  god  Hanuman. 

This  great  passage  is  but  an  entrance-hall,  the 
first  transverse  corridor  being  some  seven  hundred 
feet  long,  but  everywhere  are  to  be  seen  the  same 
flat  roof,  the  same  endless  rows  of  grotesque  columns, 
the  same  gorgeous  yet  subdued  colouring.  Through 
the  openings  on  either  side  are,  on  the  one  hand,  a 
sacred  tank,  on  the  other,  several  small  sanctuaries. 

Passing  down  this  corridor,  the  traveller  will  en- 
ter one  or  the  other  of  the  great  lateral  halls  of  the 
temple,  and  here  the  true  magnificence  of  Rames- 
waram  is  discovered.  For  this  corridor,  though  of 
the  same  design  and  ornament  as  those  already 
mentioned,  is  one  thousand  feet  long.  Its  perspect- 
ive is  something  marvellous.  The  glance  of  the 
beholder  passes  on  and  on  until  wearied  with  the 
journey  to  the  farther  end,  which  is  almost  lost  in 
the  shadowy  distance.  This  corridor  is  three  hun- 
dred feet  longer  than  the  Cathedral  of  St.  Peter's. 
In  fact,  all  the  shrines  of  the  world  shrink  into  in- 
significance as  one  stands  gazing  down  the  vast 
spaces  of  Rameswaram. 

For  a  more  perfect  comprehension,  Rameswaram 


Rameswaram  5 

may  be  described  as  a  parallelogram ;  its  side  corri- 
dors are  each  one  thousand  feet  long,  the  front  and 
rear  being  each  seven  hundred  and  fifty,  while  the 
entrance  corridors,  piercing  those  of  the  front  and 
rear  in  the  centre  and  at  right  angles,  are  at  least 
four  hundred  feet  in  length,  and  terminate  in  two 
sanctuaries.  All  of  these  corridors  are  of  the  same 
style  and  description,  all  of  the  same  grotesque 
splendour. 

Strangers  are  not  allowed  to  approach  the  sanctu- 
aries, but  it  is  easily  seen  that  they  contain  simply 
a  stone  or  brazen  bull,  or  a  statue  of  some  god,  and 
that  they  are  all  very  dirty.  These  vast  temples 
contain  no  great  central  hall  or  chamber,  merely 
these  small  shrines  with  the  numerous  corridors  and 
open-air  courts.  Such  a  design  is  better  adapted  to 
the  processions  so  dear  to  the  heart  of  the  Hindoo. 

Seated  in  a  shadowy  nook  I  await  the  coming  of 
the  custodian  of  the  treasury,  having  sent  for  him 
by  one  of  the  many  attendants  who  continually  flit 
hither  and  thither  throughout  all  this  vastness. 
Finally  he  comes — a  fat,  comfortable-looking  Brah- 
min, arrayed  in  diaphanous  white,  with  a  white 
turban,  his  brown  skin  shining  with  its  polishing  of 
cocoanut  oil.  With  almost  courtly  manners  and  in 
most  excellent  English  he  welcomes  me  and  offers 
me  a  chair  on  the  other  side  of  a  long  table. 

'  You  would  see  the  jewels  of  the  temple  ?  They 
are  under  the  charge  of  several  keepers.  I  am  but 
one  of  them.  I  cannot  show  you  all.  I  will  show 
you  many.  The  treasures  of  Rameswaram  have 
been  estimated  at  fifteen  lacs  of  rupees"  (^"6000 
to  the  lac). 


6    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

His  attendants  have  in  the  meantime  brought 
forth  several  ancient  caskets,  and  the  table  is  soon 
covered  with  bracelets,  armlets,  anklets,  pendants, 
and  crowns,  all  encrusted  with  stones  of  every  known 
description,  and  evidently  of  great  value,  but  like 
all  Oriental  work,  the  jewels  are  not  well  cut  and  do 
not  show  to  advantage.  They  are  used  to  decorate 
the  gods,  and  also  their  attendants,  when  a  proces- 
sion is  taking  place.  Rameswaram  possesses  an  in- 
come of  some  $30,000  a  year,  and  this  Brahmin  says 
that  it  is  used  up  every  year  in  paying  for  the  pro- 
cessions, in  feeding  the  poor,  and  paying  the  wages 
of  the  many  hundreds  of  men  in  constant  attendance 
upon  the  temple. 

Everyone  in  the  Hindoo  world  makes  a  pilgrim- 
age, once  at  least,  to  this  sacred  spot,  and  the 
money  left  by  the  pilgrims  counts  up  to  many  thou- 
sands and  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars.  It  is 
said  that  the  people  living  in  the  town  are  all 
wealthy,  though  there  is  certainly  no  evidence  of  it 
in  clothing  or  dwellings. 

My  Brahmin,  becoming  garrulous  as  the  shadows 
lengthen,  wanders  on  into  the  legends  of  his  temple : 

"  Vishnu  became  incarnate  for  the  seventh  time 
as  the  son  of  Dasaratha,  the  King  of  Ayoehya,  for 
the  purpose  of  destroying  the  giant  demon  Ravana, 
who  was  King  of  Lanka  or  Ceylon.  Wandering  in 
the  forest  of  Dandaka — so  says  the  Southern  Indian 
tradition — Rama  lost  his  wife  Sita,  who  was  carried 
off  to  Lanka  by  Ravana.  Rama  pursued  the  rav- 
isher,  attended  by  the  devotees,  who  assumed  the 
shape  of  monkeys.  Their  general,  Hanuman,  made 
a  bridge  of  rocks  from  India  to  Ceylon  at  Ramesh- 


Rameswaram  7 

waram,  by  which  Rama  crossed,  slew  RaVana,  and 
recovered  his  bride.  But  when  he  returned  he  was 
observed  to  have  two  shadows,  a  sign  of  sin  of  the 
deepest  dye.  This  was  because  Ravana  was  of 
the  race  of  Brahma,  and  Rama  took  council  with  the 
divine  sages  to  discover  some  means  of  expiating 
his  crime.  They  advised  him  to  build  a  temple  and 
confine  Shiva  there  in  a  lingam  or  phallus,  which  is 
the  emblem  of  that  deity.  Rama  built  the  temple, 
and  sent  Hanuman  to  Kailasa,  the  heaven  of  Shiva, 
to  get  a  lingam.  As  he  was  a  long  time  in  return- 
ing, and  the  hour  for  dedicating  the  temple  was  ap- 
proaching, Rama  induced  his  wife  Sita  to  model  a 
phallus  of  the  white  sand  of  the  seacoast.  This 
she  did,  and  Rama  set  up  the  phallus  thus  moulded 
in  the  temple,  which  was  forthwith  dedicated  to 
Shiva.  Meantime,  Hanumdn  returned  with  another 
phallus  and  was  so  angry  at  being  forestalled  that  he 
endeavoured  to  pull  up  the  other  lingam,  and  broke 
his  tail  in  the  effort  to  twist  it  out.  Hereupon 
Shiva  and  his  consort  appeared  from  the  lingam, 
and  said  to  Rama,  '  Whoever  visits  this  lingam 
dedicated  by  thee,  and  bathes  in  the  twenty-four 
sacred  bathing-places,  shall  be  free  from  sin  and  in- 
herit heaven.'  Then,  to  console  Hanuman,  Rama 
placed  the  lingam  he  had  brought  on  the  north  side 
of  the  one  which  had  been  already  set  up,  and 
ordained  that  pilgrims  should  visit  it  first  and  then 
Rama's  lingam." 

The  narrator  ceases  as  the  shadows  of  the  night 
are  falling;  the  jewels  gleam  for  an  instant  as  they 
are  taken  away,  and  I  depart  after  being  decorated 
by  the  Brahmin  with  a  garland  of  white  flowers. 


8    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

As  we  turn  down  the  long  southern  corridor,  its  far 
end  is  illuminated  by  an  approaching  procession, 
and  we  stand  aside  to  witness  its  passage..  There 
are  hundreds  of  white-  and  yellow-robed  figures  in 
the  line;  their  faces  are  fantastically  painted,  while 
their  eyes  have  a  rapt,  far-off  expression.  There 
are  two  triumphal  cars,  covered  with  lights  and 
garlanded  with  flowers,  the  first  bearing  a  brazen 
bull,  the  second  a  statue  of  Shiva.  The  jewels  on 
both  flash  and  glitter  in  the  flare  of  countless  torches. 

It  is  said  that  human  sacrifice  sometimes  occurs  in 
Rameswaram,  and  one  wonders  whether  it  may  not 
be  going  to  occur  now.  This  is  idolatry  pure  and 
simple,  and  all  things  are  possible  to  the  devotees 
at  these  shrines.  Be  that  as  it  may,  we  have  no 
desire  to  follow  the  procession  as  it  vanishes  in  the 
distance,  but,  on  the  contrary,  a  very  distinct  desire 
to  get  out  into  God's  sunshine  where  these  grotesque 
gods  cannot  mock  and  jeer  at  us  as  they  seem  to  be 
doing  now. 

The  trip  to  Rameswaram  is  not  an  easy  one, 
especially  at  this  time  when  there  is  great  excite- 
ment about  the  plague,  which  is  steadily  creeping 
over  the  southern  end  of  the  peninsula.  I  have 
some  difficulty  in  getting  on  board  the  ship  to  Co- 
lombo, even  though  I  hold  permission  from  the 
health  authorities  of  that  place  to  return  there.  It 
would  have  been  an  unpleasant  and  even  serious 
matter  to  have  been  forced  to  disembark  and  remain 
on  the  island,  but  the  ship  finally  moves  on  and  the 
trouble  is  ended. 

Sunshine  and  shadow  chase  each  other  closely 
through  this  life  of  ours.  All  nature  smiles  here  to- 


Rameswaram  9 

day,  yet  across  the  brilliance  of  the  sunlight  passes 
a  sad-faced  woman  with  six  children,  the  oldest  not 
yet  ten  years  of  age.  She  is  going  home  to  Eng- 
land, having  lost  her  husband  in  Madras.  His  pen- 
sion ended  with  his  life,  and  the  poor  woman  has 
nothing  but  a  return  ticket  for  herself  and  family. 
What  a  sad  face,  and  how  justly  so!  The  children, 
however,  seem  well  cared  for  and  are  most  consider- 
ate of  the  mother. 

We  have  as  passengers  a  Catholic  bishop  and  four 
priests  from  Jafna,  an  important  missionary  post  for 
all  sects  at  the  extreme  northern  end  of  Ceylon. 
The  Catholic  mission  is  the  most  prosperous,  and  I 
am  told  that  this  arises  from  two  causes :  first,  be- 
cause the  ceremonials  of  that  Church  appeal  more 
strongly  to  the  Hindoo  than  do  the  simple  services 
of  the  other  denominations;  and,  second,  because 
the  Catholic  priest  comes  out  here  for  life.  All  his 
past  and  his  people  at  home  are  buried  from  him 
forever.  He  enters  among  these  people  and  lives 
their  lives,  adopting  their  modes  in  all  ways.  Hence 
he  becomes  one  of  them,  and  gets  nearer  to  their 
inner  lives  than  the  missionaries  of  the  other  sects 
who  carry  home  customs  and  manners  with  them, 
who  live  separate  and  apart  from  the  people,  who 
send  their  families  to  the  hills  and  often  go  them- 
selves on  the  first  approach  of  hot  weather.  The 
world  has  rarely,  if  ever,  heard  of  a  Catholic  priest 
deserting  his  post  for  any  cause.  I  do  not  mean  to 
state  that  our  missionaries  do  so,  but  they  certainly 
do  not  gain  the  hearts  of  these  people  as  do  the 
Romanists,  and  those  who  live  here,  and  whose  op- 
portunities of  judging  are  of  course  excellent,  give 


io    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

the  reasons  as  I  have  stated  them.  My  information 
came  from  a  member  of  the  Church  of  England,  an 
official  who  had  lived  in  Ceylon  for  eighteen  years, 
and  whose  work  carried  him  to  all  sections  of  the 
island. 

The  gay  harbour  of  Colombo  is  reached  at  last, 
and  we  pass  ashore  amidst  the  motley  concourse 
which  forever  crowds  these  Eastern  ports,  pass  up- 
ward into  the  cool  shade  of  the  Oriental  Hotel  and 
out  upon  its  wide  veranda,  where  one  may  find 
amusement  at  all  times.  Here  are  the  merchants 
with  precious  stones,  here  are  sellers  of  gold,  and 
silverware,  rare  embroideries,  and  sandalwood — but 
watch  those  fakirs  a  while. 

The  statement  has  been  made  by  such  prestidig- 
itateurs  as  Hermann  and  Heller  that  they  have 
never  seen  any  tricks  by  these  men  of  India  which 
they  could  not  explain.  Be  that  as  it  may,  these 
common  street  magicians  do  some  very  clever  things. 
Certainly  the  performance  before  the  Grand  Hotel 
Colombo  this  morning,  under  the  blazing  sunlight 
and  not  three  feet  from  the  looker-on,  was  remark- 
able. As  to  the  mango-tree  trick  there  appeared  a 
strong  resemblance  between  the  tree  grown  yester- 
day and  the  one  produced  this  morning.  But  it  was 
in  the  other  performances  that  the  observers  were 
most  interested.  In  one  instance,  the  fakir  took  a 
small  jar  of  metal  and  handed  it  around  to  show 
that  it  was  empty.  Then  placing  a  copper  coin  be- 
tween his  teeth  he  began  to  blow,  and  smoke  soon 
issued  from  his  mouth  and  nostrils;  the  jar,  which 
was  held  aloft  all  the  time,  was  found  filled  with 
water,  which  commenced  to  boil  furiously.  Casting 


Rameswaram  1 1 

it  aside,  he  opened  his  mouth  and  ejected  jets  of 
living  flame.  Indeed  the  whole  cavity  of  the  throat 
appeared  to  be  filled  with  fire  which  ignited  anything 
with  which  it  came  in  contact.  We  all  saw  the 
empty  jar,  the  filled  jar,  the  boiling  water,  and  the 
fire,  but  the  fire  never  approached  the  jar. 

Another  trick  consisted  in  causing  a  dead  and 
dried-up  cobra  to  come  to  life — or  so  it  appeared. 
The  snake  is  usually  kept  in  a  small  round  flat 
basket  with  a  closely  fitting  cover.  This  we  saw 
was  empty,  and  into  it  the  fakir  laid  the  flat  dried 
skin  of  a  dead  serpent.  Placing  it  not  three  feet 
from  our  circle,  and  in  the  brilliant  light  of  the 
Southern  sun,  he  covered  the  basket  with  its  lid, 
and  then  made  the  usual  passes  with  the  inevitable 
cloth,  about  a  yard  square,  which  he  held  by  two 
corners  to  show  that  it  contained  nothing.  His 
costume  consisted  of  one  garment  of  the  shirt  order, 
the  sleeves  of  which  were  tucked  up  at  the  shoulders, 
affording,  it  would  seem,  scant  opportunity  to  hide 
anything;  yet,  when  after  a  few  waves  of  the  cloth, 
he  removed  the  lid  of  the  basket,  the  dead  snake 
was  gone,  and  in  its  place  rose  the  majestic  hooded 
head  and  neck  of  one  of  the  largest  of  cobras. 

It  must  be  remembered  that  when  we  see  such 
work  in  England  or  America  it  is  done  at  a  distance, 
and  on  a  stage,  with  all  the  assistance  of  stage  lights 
and  shadows,  but  in  this  case  we  were  out  in  plain 
air,  and  near  enough  for  the  serpent  to  have  stung 
us. 

The  last  trick  consisted  in  a  display  of  apparently 
wonderful  strength.  A  boy  of  ten  years  of  age  was 
tied  up  in  a  large  scarf  with  its  ends  attached  to  two 


1 2    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

strong  cords.  At  the  ends  of  these  cords  were  hol- 
low brass  cups  about  the  size  of  an  acorn.  The 
fakir,  raising  the  upper  lid  of  each  of  his  eyes,  in- 
serted these  cups  thereunder,  and  with  the  hollow 
side  next  to  the  eyeball,  after  which  he  pulled  the 
eyelids  well  down.  Then  with  hands  on  hips  and 
head  well  back  he  arose  to  his  full  height,  lifting  the 
boy  a  foot  and  more  off  the  ground  and  swinging 
him  from  side  to  side,  the  entire  weight  of  course 
falling  upon  the  brass  cups.  It  seemed  a  marvel 
that  the  eyeballs  were  not  destroyed.  Perhaps 
those  who  understand  these  matters  can  explain  all 
that  was  done,  but  certainly  no  magicians  on  our 
stages  have  accomplished  similar  feats,  and  yet  these 
men  are  but  common  street  performers. 

But  this  is  Sunday  morning!  let  us  desert  the 
world  of  magic  and  attend  the  worship  of  the  one 
true  God.  We  have  not  far  to  go,  as  the  church  is 
just  over  yonder  in  the  arcade,  towards  which  all  the 
English,  civil  and  military,  in  Colombo  are  wending 
their  way. 

In  Ceylon,  the  service  of  the  Church  of  England 
is  conducted  upon  strictly  military  principles.  The 
parson's  sermon  this  morning  was  short  and  sharp, 
and  delivered  with  military  precision.  The  lessons 
were  read  by  an  officer  in  uniform,  and  in  such  a 
tone  as  he  would  use  in  making  a  report  to  his 
superior,  while  the  ^soldiers  furnished  the  music. 
Several  hundred  of  Great  Britain's  defenders  were 
present,  all  in  white  duck  uniforms  touched  with 
scarlet.  In  his  box  of  state  sat  the  Governor  with 
his  family  and  aides.  Overhead  waved  the  slowly 
swinging  punkas,  kept  in  motion  by  half  a  dozen 


Rameswaram  13 

disciples  of  Brahma,  who,  in  common  with  some 
wise-looking  monkeys  in  a  tree  outside,  looked  on 
in  grave  surprise  at  the  simple  worship  of  the  Naza- 
rene.  The  Hindoos  were  silent,  but  the  monkeys 
chattered  now  and  then  as  though  questioning  what 
it  all  meant,  and  upon  the  first  sound  of  the  trum- 
pets fled  away  into  the  green  gloom  of  the  palms 
and  the  scarlet  glory  of  the  poincianas,  through 
which  the  tropical  sunlight  filtered  like  drops  of 
rain,  rain  perfumed  by  the  spicy  breezes  wafting 
softly  over  the  island  and  the  slumbering  Indian 
Ocean. 


CHAPTER  II 

THE   PLAGUE 

The  Plague — The  Means  whereby  it  Spreads — Immunity  of  Euro- 
peans— When  the  Rats  Begin  to  Die — The  Belief  of  the  Natives 
as  to  its  Origin — Opinion  of  the  Bombay  Doctors — The  Towers 
of  Silence  during  the  Pest — The  Gathering  of  the  Vultures  even 
from  Turkestan. 

IT  is  somewhat  with  fear  and  trembling  that  the 
traveller  ventures  into  Southern  India  in  these 
days  of  1898, — not  so  much  in  fear  of  the  plague  as 
in  dread  of  being  quarantined  in  some  impossible 
Indian  village, — but  if  he  is  en  route  for  Burma  he 
must  risk  that,  or  waste  three  weeks  in  Ceylon  wait- 
ing for  a  ship.  So  far  this  year,  the  pest  has  not 
broken  out  in  the  points  to  which  we  are  going, 
Madura,  Trichinopoly,  Tanjore,  and  Madras,  al- 
though there  have  been  some  few  imported  cases. 
It  is,  however,  slowly  creeping  onward,  and  if  it 
should  enter  Ceylon  it  would  prove  the  total  ruin  of 
that  island,  as  there  would  be  no  market  for  her  tea. 
The  pest  does  not,  as  a  rule,  attack  Europeans. 
How  it  is  carried  from  point  to  point  is  as  yet  a 
mystery.  It  is  not  epidemic  but  contagious.  Many 
think  that  the  mosquitoes  are  the  vehicle,  others  lay 
it  to  the  rats,  and  there  is  a  premium  offered  for 


The  Plague  15 

every  rat,  dead  or  alive.  Others  believe  that  it  is  in 
the  dust  and  mud  and  that  the  natives  contract  it 
through  their  feet.  The  wife  of  our  Bombay  consul 
suffered  with  it  two  years  ago,  and  insists  that  she 
got  it  by  inhaling  the  dust  of  the  city.  When  one 
does  succumb  its  work  is  short  and  sharp,  and  gen- 
erally with  one  ending — death.  Whole  families 
have  retired  at  night  apparently  in  perfect  health, 
and  have  been  found  dead  in  the  morning.  Two 
years  ago  the  people  fled  from  Bombay  by  tens  of 
thousands,  and  the  population  decreased  from  four 
hundred  thousand  to  seventy  thousand.  The 
hotels  were  closed  because  there  were  no  servants 
to  run  them,  and  silence  and  solitude  settled  over 
the  doomed  city.  To-day,  though  the  place  is  still 
infected,  the  cases  are  comparatively  few  and  the 
people  have  returned  and  pay  no  further  attention 
to  the  dreaded  disease. 

"  First-class  "  travellers  do  not  suffer  much  in- 
convenience, save  from  frequent  medical  inspection, 
but  there  is  no  doubt  that  many  of  the  native 
officials  make  the  pest  a  cause  for  blackmail. 
Twenty  rupees  would  cause  any  one  of  them  to 
pass  you  onward,  unless  you  were  mortally  stricken, 
in  which  case  you  would  not  care  whether  you 
passed  or  not. 

In  India  the  pest  thrives  in  cold  weather  because 
the  people  then  gather  indoors  in  a  wretched  state 
of  filth  and  poverty.  Hence,  at  present,  the  station 
of  Outacamund,  usually  a  health  resort,  is  one  of 
great  infection.  Bangalore,  standing  also  high,  is 
another,  while  the  low-lying  points  in  the  Madras 
Presidency,  including  that  city,  have  had  no  cases 


1 6    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

save  those  imported.  We  shall  hope  to  reach  and 
pass  that  region  before  it  becomes  epidemic,  and 
before  other  countries  declare  quarantine  against 
that  section.  If  we  are  not  successful  in  this,  then 
we  shall  go  north  to  the  upper  table-land,  that  of 
Delhi  and  Agra,  where,  strange  to  say,  they  have 
had  no  plague,  though  the  weather  is  of  course 
much  colder  than  in  Bombay. 

When  the  rats  and  mice  begin  to  die  it  will  be 
known  that  the  plague  has  arrived,  and  the  mortal- 
ity of  the  natives  will  be,  as  it  always  is,  fearful. 

One  old  man  told  me  that  he  regarded  the  pest 
and  cholera  as  punishments  sent  direct  from  God ; 
that  he  believed  it  is  not  the  will  of  the  Creator  that 
the  doctors  should  discover  a  cure  for  either,  or  else 
after  all  their  study  they  would  have  done  so  long 
since,  but  they  have  not,  and  the  people  die  like 
sheep  in  the  shambles.  A  statue  of  the  Queen  in 
Bombay  was  mutilated  some  few  years  ago  by 
natives,  and  immediately  the  plague  appeared  and 
slew  its  thousands.  That  vandalism,  he  firmly  be- 
lieved, was  the  cause  of  its  appearance.  Of  the 
2 50,000  recorded  victims  in  India,  the  Bombay  Presi- 
dency is  responsible  for  134,000,  and  the  record  there 
is  still  looo  per  week, — the  recorded  deaths, — but 
the  real  number  is  far  above  that. 

When  the  plague  first  broke  out  in  Bombay, 
funerals  were  attended  by  all  the  relatives  of  the 
deceased,  but,  as  it  spread,  thousands  and  tens  of 
thousands  fled  the  town.  The  railway  station  was 
beleaguered  ;  the  dead  were  left  to  the  bearers — and 
the  dead  were  thousands,  for  few,  if  any,  escaped 
once  that  dread  horror  had  seized  upon  them.  Its 


The  Plague  17 

attack  was  sudden,  its  work  swift.  In  the  English 
club  at  Poonah  six  servants  died  in  one  night. 

Major  H told  me  that  he  was  in  a  chemist's  shop 

one  day  when  a  fine-looking  Eurasian  woman  en- 
tered and  asked  for  a  drug.  Then  she  suddenly 
dropped  down  and  was  dead  before  anything  could 
be  done  for  her. 

To-day  in  Bangalore,  the  natives  are  dying  by 
hundreds,  leaving  their  dead  under  the  fruit  stalls 
and  in  old  wells  because  of  their  dread  of  segregation 
and  the  risk  to  their  castes  which  arises  therefrom. 

Many  white  people  have  also  been  stricken,  but 
some  of  them  do  recover;  as  the  pest  is  generally 
considered  a  disease  of  dirt  the  immunity  of  Euro- 
peans is  attributed  to  cleanliness,  and  to  the  well- 
ventilated  condition  of  their  houses.  Mice  as  a  rule 
do  not  get  the  disease — rats  do.  Among  the  Hin- 
doos the  percentage  of  deaths  is  less  on  each  floor 
up  from  the  ground.  The  difficulty  in  cleansing  the 
quarters  of  the  poor  arises  from  their  intense  desire 
for  seclusion.  Dr.  Weir  of  Bombay  (see  Times  of 
India,  December  10,  1898)  considers  the  spread  of 
the  disease  to  be  due  principally  to  the  rats,  and  to 
articles  of  food  and  merchandise  "  infected  by  mice." 
He  also  thinks  that  well-to-do  people  are  more  apt 
to  carry  the  disease  than  the  poorer  classes,  but  that 
the  danger  of  infection  is  not  so  great  through 
human  beings  as  through  merchandise.  He  believes 
that  the  disease  is  now  epidemic  in  upper  India  and 
near  the  mountains.  The  poor  are  so  constantly  in 
the  sun  that  their  clothes  are  disinfected,  while  the 
reverse  holds  with  the  better  classes.  He  considers 
that  the  pest  is  contracted  from  the  abrasions  be- 


1 8    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

tween  the  toes,  and  that  dirt  and  dust  kill  the 
microbes.  Hence  those  "  who  walked  in  dust  and 
lived  in  dirt  "  were  less  liable  to  be  infected  than 
those  who  avoided  the  dust  and  wore  shoes.  If 
dirt  is  a  preventative  why  clean  the  houses  ?  and 
why  is  the  death-rate  so  much  higher  in  such  places 
and  among  the  people  "  who  walk  in  dust  and  live 
in  dirt  "  than  among  the  other  classes  ?  Apparently 
no  two  opinions  concur  as  to  the  scourge,  its  origin, 
or  cure. 

The  Times  also  states  that  "  the  course  of  the 
plague  depended  upon  how  the  rats  moved,"  and 
that  more  than  fifty  thousand  rodents  have  been 
destroyed  at  Bombay.  Twenty-five  thousand  people 
have  been  inoculated.  They  do  not  now  object  to 
the  operation  as  much  as  at  first,  because  the  Gov- 
ernment compensates  them  for  the  time  lost  while 
laid  up  with  the  fever.  Pnumonic  plague  is  the  worst 
form  of  the  disease.  Lately  a  woman  died  of  the 
pest  after  delivering  a  child,  but  the  latter  was  quite 
free  from  any  symptom  of  the  disease. 

The  Government  of  India  is  certainly  placed  in  a 
delicate  and  distressing  position  during  the  visit- 
ation of  these  scourges.  To  forbid  the  Hindoo 
method  of  burning — which  never  entirely  consumes 
the  body — would  cause  a  riot,  therefore  when  the 
epidemic  was  at  its  height,  and  hundreds  of  corpses 
were  awaiting  the  sacred  fire,  the  effect  upon  the 
living  can  easily  be  imagined.  If  a  man  is  wealthy 
he  is  well  burned.  If  not,  such  wood  as  can  be 
paid  for  is  furnished,  and  what  is  left  of  him  is  cast 
to  the  dogs,  or  the  river,  as  I  happened  to  see  at 
Benares.  As  for  the  Parsis,  they  must  be  taken  to 


The  Plague  19 

the  Towers  of  Silence,  which,  being  but  five  in  num- 
ber, were  totally  inadequate  to  dispose  promptly  of 
the  many  dead  brought  there  during  the  worst  times 
in  Bombay,  and  it  is  said  that  the  waiting  dead 
around  them  multiplied  in  an  awful  manner. 

It  is  surprising  to  note  how  little  is  known  about 
those  Towers  even  in  England.  One  of  the  great 
London  illustrated  papers,  The  Graphic,  if  I  remem- 
ber correctly,  gave  a  full-page  illustration  of  a 
' '  Scene  at  the  Towers  of  Silence  during  the  Plague. ' ' 
There  was  not  a  Parsi  in  all  the  groups  of  people 
before  them.  The  Towers  were  represented  as  tall, 
square,  and  majestic  structures,  whereas  they  are 
low,  circular  buildings  some  twenty-five  feet  high 
and  two  hundred  and  seventy-six  feet  in  circumfer- 
ence, and  are  whitewashed.  A  small  door  part  way 
up  the  side  gives  ingress  to  the  dead  and  its  bearers, 
who  alone  ever  enter  these  abodes  of  horror.  The 
interior  holds  a  circular  grating  some  distance  down 
from  the  top  upon  which  the  dead  are  laid,  the  men 
in  the  outer  circles,  the  women  next,  and  the  child- 
ren nearest  the  centre,  where  there  is  a  well  for  the 
collection  of  the  bones.  The  Towers  stand  upon 
Malabar  Hill,  the  highest  spot  around  Bombay. 
Beautiful  gardens  surround  them  where,  it  is  stated, 

the  relatives  sit  and  meditate  in  the  sweet  silence 
after  their  dead  have  passed  away  from  thejr  sight 
forever."  But  if  they  do  they  must  be  deaf, -else 
they  would  be  driven  insane  by  the  horrid  shrieking 
and  calling  of  the  vultures,  by  the  awful  battles  in 
high  air,  amid  the  branches  of  the  trees,  and  indeed 
upon  the  ground  before  the  people.  Could  there 
be  a  greater  horror  than  this  ?  Yet  these  Parsis  are 


20    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

the  last  people  that  one  would  imagine  could  ap- 
prove of  such  methods.  They  are,  as  a  rule,  hand- 
some, the  men  fine-featured,  large-eyed,  and  stately 
as  to  figure,  the  women  very  refined  and  pleasant  to 
gaze  upon. 

Yonder  stand  two  dark-eyed  dames  dressed  in 
white  cloth ;  a  silk  mantle  of  pale  yellow  with  a 
black  border  is  draped  from  the  head  and  folded 
gracefully  around  the  figure.  They  are  a  very 
bright,  shrewd  race,  and  are  most  intelligent  talkers 
— an  improved,  healthy,  and  handsome  edition  of 
the  Spaniards. 

In  the  five  Towers  many  dead  can  be  taken  care 
of  under  ordinary  circumstances,  but  it  was  impos- 
sible to  care  for  the  hundreds  slain  by  the  plague. 
Thousands  of  vultures  were  drawn  thither  by  the 
unusual  state  of  affairs,  and  there  can  be  little  doubt 
that  this  method  of  disposing  of  the  dead  was  a 
prime  factor  in  spreading  the  pest.  A  chemist  who 
lived  in  Bombay  during  the  whole  time  told  me 
that  he  saw  a  vulture  drop  a  human  bone  into  the 
compound  of  a  bungalow,  and  that  shortly  after- 
wards nearly  all  of  the  native  servants  died  of  the 
plague. 

What  could  the  Government  do  under  such  cir- 
cumstances ?  Earth,  water,  and  fire  being  sacred  to 
the  Parsis,  and  hence  not  to  be  polluted  by  that 
most  corrupt  of  all  things,  a  dead  body,  what  could 
be  done  with  the  dead  ? 

A  Parsi  funeral  is  a  solemn,  stately  procession 
consisting  of  the  corpse,  its  bearers,  and  many 
mourners  and  friends,  all  dressed  in  white  and  walk- 
ing two  by  two.  The  procession  pauses  by  the 


The  Plague  21 

house  of  prayer  just  inside  the  gates,  and  then 
passes  onward  to  a  sign  beyond  which  none  may 
pass  save  the  dead  and  those  four  bearers,  outcasts 
like  the  mummifiers  of  Egypt,  who  carry  it  upwards 
through  that  low  door  and  out  of  sight  forever.  If 
it  has  once  passed  beyond  that  sign-post  no  one  may 
stop  it,  be  they  ever  so  near  and  dear,  and  that  pass- 
age must  be  to  them  as  the  sound  of  the  falling 
clods  is  to  us.  One  hears  many  tales — let  us  hope 
that  they  are  but  "  tales  " — of  those  who  have  been 
carried  in  there  alive,  never  to  come  forth  again. 

What  strange  messenger  carried  to  the  vultures 
even  in  Turkestan  the  awful  tidings  of  the  dead  ? 
How  did  they  know  what  was  happening  or  about 
to  happen  in  far  Bombay,  that  they  started  on  their 
flight  southward,  appearing  finally  on  Malabar  Hill 
in  numbers  never  known  before  ?  Five  or  six  hun- 
dred is  their  usual  quota  in  that  garden,  but  then 
they  were  countless,  and  the  Towers  had  a  border 
of  black  added  to  their  summit  as  the  vultures  sat 
closely  crowded  together  while  awaiting  their  feasts 
— feasts  that  were  not  long  in  coming.  It  is  claimed, 
however,  by  the  Parsis  that,  no  matter  how  great 
the  number  of  the  dead  each  morning,  they  were 
disposed  of  in  a  very  short  space  of  time,  and  that 
the  idea  that  any  fragment  may  have  been  "  carried 
off  and  dropped,"  thereby  spreading  the  contagion, 
is  untrue,  for  the  reason  that  when  a  vulture  extends 
his  wings  in  flying  he  must  open  his  claws,  and 
hence  could  not  use  them,  and  that  he  does  not 
use  his  beak.  Be  that  as  it  may,  even  the  plague 
has  not  caused  any  change  of  ideas  amongst  the 
Parsis  that  will  result  in  the  abolition  of  this,  to 


22    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

our  thinking,  objectionable  mode  of  disposing  of 
the  dead. 

But  the  shores  of  the  mainland  and  the  port  of 
Tuticorin  are  in  sight,  and  for  better  or  worse  we  go 
forward. 


CHAPTER  III 

MADURA 

The  Panorama  of  the  Peoples  of  India — The  Approach  to  Madura 
— The  Feast  to  Shiva — The  Gopuras — Courts,  Sanctuaries — 
"Tank  of  the  Golden  Lilies"  and  the  Starving  Queen — The 
Sacred  Elephants,  Bulls,  and  Parrots — The  Dirt  of  the  Temple 
— Responsibility  of  the  Sacred  Tanks  for  the  Cholera — Legends 
and  Treasures  of  Madura. 


T 


HE  panorama  of  the  peoples  of  India  never 
loses  its  attraction  for  the  stranger  within  her 
borders.  In  China,  in  Java,  in  Japan,  or  in  Turk- 
estan there  is  a  sameness  in  the  multitude  that 
gradually  destroys  one's  interest,  but  it  is  never  so 
in  India.  Each  Presidency  has  its  distinct  types, 
and  with  each  shifting  of  the  scene  some  new  picture 
is  presented,  different  in  every  particular  from  the 
last.  As  we  land,  my  attention  is  at  once  attracted 
by  a  band  of  dignified  Mohammedans,  waiting  to 
take  ship  to  Colombo,  and  thence  to  Mecca.  Many 
wear  the  green  turban  of  the  Prophet.  They  dis- 
appear and  are  succeeded  by  a  stately  lot  of  white- 
robed  Parsis,  who  withdraw  themselves  from  the 
common  crowd,  while  all  the  avenues  beyond  are 
filled  with  a  steadily  moving  mass  of  Hindoos  on 
their  way  to  the  shrines  at  Madura. 

23 


24    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

As  our  train  moves  along  we  are  never  out  of 
sight  of  groups  of  them,  and,  as  we  approach  the 
city,  the  throng  becomes  a  multitude.  Each  shrine 
has  its  thousands  of  devotees,  and  the  roads  are 
choked  with  those  who  are  moving  onward  to  the 
festival  of  Shiva,  under  the  shadows  of  those  great 
gopuras  rising  so  majestically  yonder.  Men  and 
women  of  the  lower  castes  are  on  foot ;  those  of  the 
higher  ride  on  horseback,  or  in  the  quaint  pagoda- 
like  ox-carts  of  the  land.  Yonder  is  a  rajah,  or 
someone  of  degree,  seated  in  state  upon  a  gaily 
caparisoned  elephant  whose  clanking  bells  cause  the 
people  to  scatter  right  and  left  as  he  passes  onward. 

High  on  a  rock  burns  a  sacred  fire,  which  must 
burn  until  the  rains  extinguish  it.  Along  the  pass- 
ageway to  the  holy  flame  are  many  priests  of  this 
strange  faith,  instructing  the  people.  But  the  mul- 
titude press  onward,  carrying  us  with  them  to  the 
great  shrine  of  the  city. 

What  pen  can  picture  Madura  ?  Mounting  to  the 
roof  of  her  royal  palace,  and  gazing  outward,  the 
traveller  beholds  on  all  sides  an  ocean  of  waving 
palms  with  a  gorgeous  Indian  city  sheltered  under 
their  branches.  The  streets  are  thronged  and  all 
the  people  are  in  festal  garb,  crimson  and  scarlet 
predominating  as  to  colour.  Against  a  sky  of  saf- 
fron yellow  the  great  gopuras  (towers)  of  the  temples 
soar  aloft  more  than  one  hundred  feet  above  the 
humbler  dwellings,  thousands  of  statues  of  the  num- 
berless gods  crowding  their  pyramidal  sides,  while 
fantastically  carved  dragons  toss  their  wings  upward 
from  the  summits. 

An  encircling  and  jagged  chain  of  mountains  en- 


ENTRANCE  TO  GREAT  OOPURA,   MADURA. 


Madura  25 

closes  the  valley  of  the  city,  reminding  one  of  the 
volcanoes  of  Java. 

As  the  shadows  fall  we  approach  the  precincts  of 
the  temple.  Myriads  of  lights  begin  to  twinkle  and 
the  festival  of  Shiva  commences.  All  the  ap- 
proaches to  the  structure  are  thronged.  Dark 
figures  swathed  in  white,  moving  silently  and 
ghostly,  or  glowing  in  all  the  colours  of  the  rainbow, 
press  onward  ;  the  women  so  decked  out  with  golden 
bangles  that  they  dispense  tinkling  music  as  they 
crowd  inward  to  where  the  sacred  bull  rests  em- 
bowered in  yellow  flowers  and  encircled  by  blinking 
lights.  Each  devotee,  on  passing  the  graven  image, 
reverently  touches  it  with  both  hands,  and  then 
transfers  the  blessing  to  his  lips,  whence  it  is  wafted 
to  the  abode  of  Shiva.  Through  an  archway,  glow- 
ing with  countless  lights  which  are  never  extin- 
guished, stretch  the  dark  corridors  of  the  temple,  a 
long  vista  of  columns  carved  grotesquely  in  the 
forms  of  gods  and  animals,  while  in  the  farther  dis- 
tance, to  which  we  may  not  penetrate,  stands  a 
golden  Shiva  adored  by  countless  worshippers ;  and 
countless  worshippers  adored  the  god  upon  this 
same  spot  when  our  religion  was  but  a  prophecy  to 
be  fulfilled,  for  this  portion  of  the  temple  is  said  to 
date  back  three  centuries  before  Christ. 

In  the  court  of  the  "  tank  of  the  golden  lilies  "  a 
live  bull  with  gilded  horns  picks  his  way  daintily 
among  the  lamps,  which  cluster  like  glow-worms  on 
the  steps.  Silently  the  crowds  make  way  for  us, 
silently  they  close  around  and  follow  after  us,  the 
fitful  torchlights  showing  their  gleaming  black  eyes 
and  dazzling  teeth,  while  their  wreaths  of  yellow 


26    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

flowers  load  the  air  with  perfume.  The  swaying 
forms  of  the  sacred  elephants  fill  the  background, 
their  clanking  bells  sounding  above  the  voices  of  the 
people.  The  scene  is  Eastern,  Indian,  idolatrous, 
and  one  never  to  be  forgotten. 

To-morrow  we  will  return  for  a  closer  inspection, 
but  it  is  well  to  have  had  this  weird,  fantastic  glimpse 
of  Madura  in  high  fete  in  honour  of  the  great  god 
Shiva. 

It  is  always  pleasant  to  have  a  first  view  of  these 
temples  by  moonlight  or  torchlight,  as  the  full  light 
of  the  day  brings  out  all  the  dirt  and  filth  which  are 
forever  attendant  upon  heathen  shrines. 

The  visit  to-day  was  most  interesting.  The 
temple  of  Madura  ranks  next  in  size  to  Rames- 
waram.  It  is  a  parallelogram  of  eight  hundred  by 
seven  hundred  feet.  There  are  nine  great  gopuras, 
and  there  is  a  hall  of  a  thousand  columns.  The 

tank  of  the  golden  lilies  "  is  surrounded  by  a 
colonnade  gorgeously  painted  with  representations 
of  the  most  famous  pagodas  in  India.  On  one  side 
you  will  observe  the  little  chapel  of  Queen  Mangam- 
mal,  who  was  starved  to  death  in  1706,  her  subjects 
placing  food  so  near  that  she  could  see  and  smell, 
but  could  not  reach  it.  England  has  a  like  legend  in 
the  case  of  Richard  II.,  in  Pontefract  Castle.  Ex- 
quisite tortures  have  not  been  confined  to  the  Orient. 

We  are  greeted  by  the  usual  dense  crowd  of 
natives,  who  follow  us  everywhere.  Sacred  ele- 
phants, with  foreheads  painted  in  white,  sway  from 
side  to  side  on  either  hand  ;  their  mahouts,  on  seeing 
us,  suddenly  mount  to  their  seats  and  advancing 
down  the  corridors  cause  the  beasts  to  kneel  in  salu- 


Madura  27 

tation.  The  sensation  of  the  one  to  whom  the 
adoration  is  offered  is  peculiar  to  say  the  least. 
Many  bananas  are  offered  and  promptly  devoured. 
I  give  one  beast  a  stalk  which  he  rejects,  while  he 
waves  his  trunk  in  doubt  over  my  head,  but  I  allow 
him  no  chance  to  settle  the  matter.  Sacred  parrots 
chatter  at  us,  and  sacred  bulls  butt  their  way  amidst 
the  crowd,  while  a  priest  decorates  us  with  garlands 
of  yellow  flowers.  His  caste  would  be  outraged  if 
he  accepted  less  than  a  rupee  for  his  attentions. 

The  carvings  of  this  temple  are  most  intricate  and 
marvellous,  but  the  temples  of  Southern  India  must 
not  be  compared  with  those  of  the  Moslems,  such  as 
the  mosque  at  Delhi  and  the  Taj.  They  are  bar- 
barically  grand  as  to  their  exterior,  their  towers,  and 
their  tanks,  and  grotesquely  fantastic  as  to  their 
corridors  and  carvings,  but  they  are  filthy  inside.  I 
know  of  no  exception  to  this  unless  it  be  at  Rames- 
waram,  but  at  Madura  the  very  columns  are  soaked 
in  the  grime  and  grease  of  ages.  As  for  this  "  hall 
of  a  thousand  columns,"  it  is  considered  the  most 
marvellous  part  of  the  temple,  but  it  does  not  strike 
me  as  such.  It  is  low  and  dark,  and  though  some 
of  the  carvings  are  very  remarkable,  the  majority 
are  very  crude,  in  fact  of  the  crudest  description, 
and  it  is  all  inexpressibly  dirty.  The  water  in  the 
"  tank  of  the  golden  lilies,"  some  twelve  feet  deep, 
is  a  mass  of  green  slime  which  must  necessarily 
breed  terrible  diseases.  Hindoos  regard  all  the 
tanks  as  sacred,  and  their  waters  as  blest  by  the 
gods,  and  therefore  to  be  greatly  sought  after.  They 
are  undoubtedly  the  source  from  which  cholera  stalks 
forth,  and,  I  doubt  not,  the  plague  also. 


28    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

It  seems  as  though  the  risk  of  such  diseases,  espe- 
cially the  cholera,  would  be  greatly  decreased  by 
insisting  upon  the  cleaning  of  these  sacred  tanks 
and  cisterns,  and  by  having  a  flow  of  water  pass 
constantly  through  them.  But,  of  course,  the 
Government  dislikes  in  any  way  to  interfere  with 
the  religion  of  these  people.  Take,  for  instance,  the 
sacred  well  at  Benares.  It  scores  its  victims  by  the 
hundreds  of  thousands  yearly,  and  might  almost  be 
called  the  birthplace  of  cholera.  If  a  few  lives, 
comparatively  speaking,  were  saved  by  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  suttee,  would  it  not  be  well  to  endeavour 
also  to  save  the  millions  that  yearly  die  from  these 
"  sacred  waters  "  ?  Would  it  not  be  an  added  pro- 
tection to  all  the  world  ?  for  India  sends  the  cholera 
outward  to  all  nations. 

Madura  is  surrounded  by  countless  legends  of  the 
Hindoo  faith.  It  was  saved  from  Moslem  destruc- 
tion by  Shiva's  causing  a  stone  bull  to  rise  and  con- 
sume some  plantains,  a  sure  demonstration  that  the 
Hindoo  faith  was  the  true  one. 

There  are  many  treasures  at  this  shrine,  but  the 
most  interesting  and  important  are  the  bulls,  drag- 
ons, peacocks,  palanquins,  and  platforms,  all  of  solid 
gold  and  silver  and  encrusted  with  jewels.  The  idols 
are  very  large,  and  each  has  a  day  sacred  to  itself 
when  it  is  carried  in  procession  through  the  corridors 
of  the  temple. 

Unfortunately,  it  rains  heavily  during  our  daylight 
inspection  and  we  cannot  examine  the  gopuras  as 
thoroughly  as  we  desire,  but  they  are  ever  present ; 
through  every  doorway  and  archway,  and  across 
every  enclosure,  they  rear  their  beautiful  structures 


Madura  29 

high  aloft,  and  travellers  find  that  they  never  lose 
their  charm,  beauty,  and  majesty.  The  accompany- 
ing illustration  gives  a  far  better  idea  of  their  effect 
than  any  pen  picture,  however  graphic. 

We  do  not  escape  from  the  temple  without  further 
demonstrations  on  the  part  of  the  elephants.  There 
is  apparently  an  organised  plot  to  head  us  off  in  all 
directions.  Each  corridor  that  we  enter  is  blocked 
by  a  great  dusky  form,  and  when  we  least  expect  it 
a  trunk  is  thrust  in  our  faces  demanding  more  ba- 
nanas, but  we  notice  above,  back  of  the  painted  faces 
and  waving  ears,  the  dusky  countenances  of  the 
mahouts,  whose  piercing  black  eyes  are  keen  for 
rupees  that  may  be  scared  from  our  pockets.  It  is 
the  first  time  that  I  have  ever  played  at  "  puss-in- 
the-corner  "  with  bulls  and  elephants,  while  parrots 
of  many  hues  act  as  umpires,  and  strange  gods  of 
carved  stone,  or  moulded  gold  and  silver,  gaze 
stolidly  upon  me.  The  throngs  of  natives  which 
follow  and  wall  me  in  are  less  disagreeable,  however, 
than  many  a  collection  of  monks  in  Italy  or  crowd 
in  America. 


CHAPTER  IV 

TANJORE 

The  Palace  of  the  Rajah — Its  Pageants,  Elephants,  Musicians — The 
Splendours  of  a  Durbar — The  Palace  Library  and  Hall  of  Audi- 
ence— The  Desolation  of  the  Whole — The  Pagoda  of  Tan j  ore — 
Its  Stately  Appearance  and  Superb  Carvings  in  Stone — Its 
Stone  Bull  and  Holy  of  Holies — The  Minor  Pagodas — The 
Passing  of  the  Life  and  Wealth  of  Tanjore. 

IN  the  days  of  its  life,  the  court  of  the  palace  of  the 
Rajah  of  Tanjore  presented  within  its  stately  pre- 
cincts a  gorgeous  pageant  whenever  His  Highness 
held  his  durbars.  In  addition  to  the  many  elephants 
of  his  establishment,  swaying  and  rocking  at  their 
chains,  hundreds  of  others  belonging  to  the  court- 
iers crowded  the  spot,  making  the  scene  brilliant 
with  their  trappings,  rending  the  air  with  their 
trumpeting  and  the  clanging  of  their  many  bells. 
Their  howdahs  were  gorgeous  to  behold,  and  their 
attendants  gay  as  parrots  in  the  livery  of  their 
masters. 

Barbaric  music  from  the  royal  players  rose  above 
the  subdued  murmurs  of  the  crowd  as  the  nobility 
of  the  land  passed  on  under  lofty  arches  to  where 
His  Royal  Highness  sat  in  state  to  receive  them. 
With  all  his  jewels  blazing  upon  him  he  scarce  out- 

30 


Tanjore  31 

shone  the  gorgeousness  of  many  of  his  subjects,  and 
the  shadowy  precincts  of  the  Hall  of  Audience 
glowed  with  prismatic  colours  as  the  sunbeams 
pierced  its  twilight. 

At  its  entrance,  long  rows  of  slippers,  red  and 
yellow,  had  been  left  by  their  owners  before  they 
passed  into  the  presence  of  the  Rajah,  where  they 
crowded  both  sides  of  the  hall.  The  open  space 
before  the  throne  was  occupied  by  girls  who  moved 
with  a  peculiar  floating  motion,  keeping  up  a  mon- 
otonous and  low  murmur  of  song  which  ever  and 
anon  rose  into  a  weird  incantation. 

In  the  great  library,  the  learned  men  of  the  palace 
pored  over  manuscripts  in  all  known  tongues,  while 
from  behind  the  lattice  of  the  women's  quarters 
came  the  sound  of  laughing  voices.  All  was  life 
and  splendour. 

How  changed  are  the  days  at  the  palace !  Into 
its  great,  empty  court  we  rattle  in  bullock-carts,  and 
draw  up  with  much  noise  and  little  dignity  at  the 
arched  entrance,  where  of  old  there  were  always  a 
hundred  elephants.  Now  there  are  two,  one  a 
young  one  that  rebels  at  its  loneliness,  the  other  so 
old  that  its  gaunt  skull  looks  like  a  death's-head. 
Its  small  eyes  are  sunken  almost  out  of  sight,  and 
its  great  frame  sways  wearily  to  and  fro,  as  though 
anxious  to  be  gone  after  all  the  others,  dead  now 
for  many  years.  This  one  they  say  has  passed  its 
century,  and  could  tell  tales  of  much  splendour,  and 
of  much  horror,  no  doubt — for  all  was  not  sunshine 
for  those  who  lived  in  the  palace  at  Tanjore  one 
hundred  years  ago.  He  shows  his  age  as  would  an 
old  man,  and  the  weight  of  years  is  too  much  for 


32    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

him.  He  was  once  one  of  many  that  clanked  their 
chains  about  this  courtyard  ;  he  can  remember  grand 
processions,  when  the  old  Rajah  came  in  state  to 
the  palace,  when  the  howdahs  glistened  with  jewels, 
when  crimson,  and  cloth  of  gold,  and  gems  orna- 
mented his  own  huge  bulk.  Then,  his  forehead  was 
painted  like  a  Cashmere  shawl,  and  his  toes  were 
gilded.  He  can  remember  the  multitude  that 
bowed  before  his  prince  as  he  bore  him  through 
yonder  arch,  and  onward  to  the  great  pagoda,  where 
the  highest  in  the  land  were  in  attendance.  But 
that  is  gone  now — he  is  the  last  of  his  company; 
he  has  seen  the  vanishing  of  all  that  glittering 
throng. 

The  Hall  of  Audience  stands  unaltered,  but  is 
empty  and  deserted,  save  on  the  throne,  where  a 
marble  statue  of  His  Royal  Highness  holds  forever 
its  silent  state.  On  the  walls  around  hang  the  por- 
traits of  the  long  line  of  rajahs.  Their  eyes  follow 
us,  and  instinctively  we  glance  behind  almost  ex- 
pecting to  be  called  to  account  by  some  dusky 
attendant,  but  no  sound  breaks  the  silence  of  the 
empty  palace.  From  the  window  of  the  Queen's 
court  comes  no  sign  of  life,  but  as  we  pass  onward 
the  wild,  barbaric  music  of  the  court  musicians 
rends  the  air  and  tears  the  silence  into  tatters.  Still 
it  holds  the  notes  of  mournfulness,  is  full  of  a  wail 
of  sorrow  over  all  that  is  gone  forever  into  other 
courts,  into  other  Halls  of  Audience,  and  we  in  turn 
depart,  leaving  the  marble  semblance  of  the  ruler 
alone  in  the  palace,  save  for  the  moonlight  which 
streams  in  upon  it,  seeming  to  quicken  the  cold 
stone  into  full  life. 


"  !  m 

•  •  <K  ¥^» 
-    fVV>. 


Tanjore  33 

It  is  often  the  case  that  the  places  about  which 
one  has  heard  the  least  prove  to  be  the  most  im- 
pressive and  interesting.  This  is  true  of  the  temple 
of  Tanjore,  which,  to  my  thinking,  is  the  most  im- 
pressive, the  most  stately,  in  Southern  India.  The 
entire  temple  is  of  stone  from  the  foundations  to 
the  highest  point,  whereas  the  most  majestic  portion 
of  Madura,  the  gopuras,  are  of  stone  only  in  their 
lower  stories,  all  the  upper  section  being  of  plaster 
and  stucco.  The  main  pagoda  of  Tanjore  rears  its 
majestic  outlines  two  hundred  feet  above  the  centre 
of  an  immense  colonnade,  under  the  arches  of  which 
are  a  vast  number  of  shrines,  while  small  temples 
flank  the  greater  one  on  either  side.  The  entire 
structure  is  a  mass  of  beautiful  carvings  in  bold  re- 
lief, and  the  effect  of  the  whole  is  wonderfully  en- 
hanced by  the  dark  red  of  its  sandstone,  toned  to  a 
point  of  beauty  which  can  only  be  accomplished  by 
the  flight  of  ages,  and  Tanjore  is  nine  hundred  years 
old.  What  a  multitude  of  graven  images!  But  the 
statues  of  these  Hindoo  gods  do  not  impress  one  as 
do  those  of  Buddha  at  Boero  Boda;  there  is  a  smirk, 
and  sometimes  almost  a  grin,  about  these,  which 
seems  to  indicate  that  they  are  well  aware  that  they 
are  not  true  gods — that  they  are  in  fact  playing  a 
part;  while  no  one  who  has  ever  gazed  upon  the 
statues  of  Buddha  can  fail  to  be  impressed  with  their 
majesty  and  dignity. 

Another  vast  difference  between  the  carvings  of 
the  Buddhists  and  the  Hindoos  lies  in  the  fact  that 
there  is  never  any  suggestion  of  the  impure  or  ob- 
scene in  the  works  of  the  former,  whereas  the  Hin- 
doos seem  to  revel  in  the  depiction  of  all  that  is 


34    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

vile,  especially  upon  their  temples.  I  have  to-day 
examined  a  photograph  which  shows  the  carvings 
upon  some  great  gopura.  Nothing  viler  or  more 
obscene  exists  in  any  section  of  the  world,  but  such 
does  not  appear  to  be  the  case  at  Tanjore. 

This  temple  differs  materially  from  other  temples 
in  one  point.  The  gopuras  elsewhere  are  mere  en- 
trances and  gateways,  answering  to  the  propylons 
of  Egypt,  but  here  the  gopura,  though  of  the  same 
general  design,  rises  in  the  centre  of  the  temple  and 
covers  the  holy  of  holies.  In  other  words,  it  is  the 
temple  proper  before  which  crouches  the  stone  bull, 
a  majestic  monolith  in  black  marble,  some  twelve 
by  fourteen  feet,  which  possesses  a  pagoda  of  its 
own  and  rests  upon  a  platform.  What  it  sees  in 
the  darkness  of  the  holy  of  holies  we  are  forced  to 
imagine,  as  we  may  not  enter.  In  fact,  nothing 
save  the  power  of  England  renders  our  presence 
possible  even  in  the  outer  courts  of  these  heathen 
shrines.  Murray  tells  us,  however,  that  this  shrine 
contains  in  the  centre  a  huge  black  slab  of  marble 
which  upholds  the  "  lingam."  There  is  also  an 
image  of  Shiva  facing  south,  while  close  by  is  the 
shrine  of  the  god  whose  duty  it  is  to  report  to  the 
chief  god  the  arrival  of  worshippers. 

A  thorough  inspection  of  the  carvings  of  Tanjore 
would  occupy  the  traveller  for  weeks.  Its  smaller 
shrine,  that  of  Karttikeya  the  son  of  Shiva  and 
the  deity  of  war,  is  considered  to  rival  the  great 
pagoda  in  its  cut  stone  work,  and  is  considered  the 
most  beautiful  structure  in  Southern  India.  So  it 
may  be  in  detail,  but  the  soaring  majestic  outlines 
of  the  greater  structure  are  far  more  impressive  and 


GREAT  PAGODA  OF  TANJORE. 


Tanjore 


35 


attractive,  and  the  eye  returns  again  and  again  to 
its  satisfying  outlines.  With  the  passing  of  the 
wealth  and  power  of  the  rajahs,  Tanjore  lost  its 
estates  and  income  and,  to-day,  stands  silent  and 
deserted. 


CHAPTER  V 

MADRAS 

"  The  Forsaken  of  God" — The  Indian  and  English  City — The  Vile 
Hotel,  Bats,  and  Toads — The  Cobra — Habits  of  the  Serpents — 
Harbour  of  Madras — Teeming  Life  on  its  Beach — The  People 
and  Crows — Plague  Inspection — Approach  of  the  Test — The 
Hand  of  England  in  India. 

THE  north-east  monsoon  is  still  raging  as  we  ap- 
proach the  largest  city  of  Southern  India. 
All  the  land  for  miles  around  is  covered  with  vast 
sheets  of  water,  and  the  rain  falls  in  driving  torrents, 
while  the  ocean  moans  and  thunders  outside  the  bar. 
This  harbour  is  so  unsafe  that  ships  have  to  put  to 
sea  at  such  times,  and  all  up  and  down  the  Coro- 
mandel  coast  there  is  no  port  of  refuge,  from  the 
mouth  of  the  Ganges  to  where  Cape  Comorin  faces 
the  Indian  Ocean.  This  is  the  region  of  cyclones, 
tornadoes,  and  tidal  waves.  One  associates  such 
names  as  Pondicherry  and  Madras  with  all  that  is 
fearful  and  awful  in  the  elements,  and  now,  com- 
bined with  the  god  of  storms,  the  skeleton  of  the 
"  Black  Death  "  is  surely  advancing  upon  all  this 
section  of  the  land,  justifying  the  title  which  the 
English  have  given  to  the  city  of  Madras — "  the 
forsaken  of  God." 

36 


Madras  37 

Like  all  Anglo-Indian  cities,  Madras,  with  a  popu- 
lation  numbering  four  hundred  thousand,  covers  a 
territory  about  equal  to  that  of  a  city  of  five  times 
its  population.  Its  appearance  from  the  sea  is  im- 
posing and  majestic,  as  all  the  great  Government 
buildings  are  stretched  along  the  esplanade,  and 
from  the  tower  of  the  municipal  building  a  brilliant 
light  shines  by  night  far  out  over  the  tossing  waters. 
Vast  commons  stretch  backward  from  the  shore,  and 
"  Black  Town,"  the  old  city,  is  close  by  the  river, 
which  separates  as  it  nears  the  sea.  In  order  to 
reach  the  residential  portion  of  the  city  one  crosses 
these  arms  on  three  fine  bridges. 

The  English  section  possesses  very  wide  and  im- 
mensely long  avenues  bordered  with  fine  trees, 
which,  in  season,  must  present  a  gorgeous  sight,  as 
many  are  Poinciana  regias.  All  the  houses  stand 
well  back  in  large  compounds  full  of  trees  and 
shrubs,  the  general  appearance  being  fine,  though 
in  detail  such  is  not  the  case.  Travellers  fail  to 
understand  the  philosophy  of  the  domestic  English 
architecture  in  Southern  India.  Though  a  land  of 
enormous  rainfalls  and  of  great  dampness,  it  is  the 
custom  to  build  a  house  flat  on  the  ground  with  no 
sort  of  cellar  nor  chance  for  ventilation  underneath. 
My  room  in  this  most  wretched  hotel,  the  Elphin- 
stone,  is  raised  above  the  mud  outside  only  by  the 
thickness  of  its  cement  floor,  which  is  all  cracked 
and  mouldy.  I  fully  expected  to  have  last  night's 
deluge  flood  the  whole  apartment.  A  mouldy  mat- 
ting covers  the  cement,  while  the  plaster  of  the 
dripping  walls  is  green  with  mould.  The  bath-room 
is  infinitely  worse,  but  one  does  not  have  to  sleep 


38    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

therein.  Bats  fly  around  my  head  as  I  write,  and 
a  constant  soft  pat,  pat,  over  the  floor  causes  me 
to  make  an  inspection  with  the  lamp,  whereupon 
dozens  of  small  toads  hop  off  into  corners  from 
which  they  regard  me  with  a  serious  mien,  ap- 
proaching a  little  nearer  now  and  then — but  one 
does  not  mind  toads! 

Madras  is  noted  for  its  cobras,  and  I  confess  that 
I  spend  a  half-hour  in  stopping  up  all  possible  means 
of  ingress  for  that  most  beautiful  of  serpents.  It  is 
sacred  with  the  Hindoos  because,  upon  discovering 
one  day  in  the  desert  a  newly  born  son  of  one  of  the 
gods,  whose  life  would  soon  have  passed  away  under 
the  fierce  rays  of  the  rising  orb,  a  cobra  coiled  itself 
near  the  babe,  raised  its  head,  and  distended  its 
hood,  thus  making  itself  all  day  long  to  that  baby 
as  is  the  "  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land  " 
to  the  traveller.  But,  in  these  latter  days,  it  brings 
death  and  not  life  to  those  it  approaches.  These 
serpents  always  go  in  pairs,  and  if  you  kill  one  you 
may  be  sure  that  its  mate  will  track  it.  Therefore 
be  on  guard  for  your  life.  There  are  no  serpents  in 
this  beastly  room  to-night,  however;  still  I  barricade 
against  all  possible  enemies,  and  tucking  the  curtains 
in  securely,  sleep  until  tea  is  brought  in  at  daylight. 

In  the  present  condition  of  the  country  a  man  in 
Madras  is,  as  it  were,  in  a  pocket.  Quarantine  may 
be  declared  any  day,  and  I  hasten  to  get  off  on  the 
ship  to  Rangoon. 

There  is  no  harbour  at  Madras.  The  waves  roll 
in  between  two  stone  breakwaters  and  thunder  on 
the  beach  beyond,  so  embarkation  is  no  easy  matter, 
and  I  see  that  I  am  to  have  another  sensation  during 


Madras  39 

the  process — travel  in  the  East  is  made  up  of  sensa- 
tions. The  sands  swarm  with  a  motley  concourse 
of  beings,  most  of  them  without  clothes.  Men, 
women,  and  children  live  here  all  their  lives  and 
everything  goes  on  in  plain  air.  It  strikes  one  as 
decidedly  odd  to  see  grave-looking  crows  amid  such 
a  crowd, — black,  with  a  grey  mantle,  they  are  verit- 
able preachers  in  appearance, — but  a  Madras  crow 
is  not  a  priest  nor  anything  else  that  savours  of 
divine.  Of  all  the  crows  in  India  he  is  deemed  the 
most  impudent  and  the  greatest  thief.  He  knows 
what  he  wants,  and  whether  or  not  his  right  may  be 
upheld  by  law,  he  takes  it.  If  you  stop  him  he  as- 
sumes an  insulted  look  and  jabs  at  you.  During  my 
passage  to  the  water  I  have  been  treated  in  this 
manner  several  times  by  crows  that  I  happened 
to  disturb.  They  said  but  little,  but  they  meant 
what  they  said,  which  is  perhaps  much  more  than 
can  be  claimed  for  many  of  our  lawmakers  under 
the  dome  of  the  Capitol. 

The  traveller  can  reach  his  ship  only  by  means  of 
a  great,  clumsy  surf-boat  or  hulk  some  twenty  feet 
long  by  eight  broad  and  five  deep,  shaped  like  the 
half  of  a  cocoanut.  Such  a  craft  cannot,  of  course, 
be  drawn  up  high  and  dry,  as  it  would  be  impossible 
to  float  it  again ;  therefore,  after  my  luggage  has 
been  dumped  aboard,  two  dirty  blacks  approach  and, 
sans  ceremony,  grab  me  by  the  legs  and  elbows  and 
proceed  seaward.  Dirt  or  no  dirt,  plague  or  cholera, 
under  such  circumstances  one  clings  like  death,  until 
the  side  of  the  barge  is  reached,  where  for  an  instant 
one  balances  between  mud  and  dirty  water  inside, 
and  sharks  and  clear  water  outside.  In  my  case  the 


40    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

balance  is  settled  in  favour  of  the  former  by  a  black 
who  seizes  my  feet  and  hauls  me  inward.  Some 
twenty  or  thirty  men  rush  into  the  water,  lay  hold 
of  the  lumbering  craft,  and  roll  us  into  the  surf. 
That  it  does  not  upset  is  a  miracle,  but  once  at  sea 
it  proves  very  steady,  and  I  am  soon  on  board  ship. 

The  inspection  by  the  port  doctor  was  a  mere 
form,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  he  is  often  deceived. 
He  asked  me  where  I  came  from  and  took  my  word 
for  it,  and  merely  touched  the  wrist  of  my  servant, 
certainly  not  long  enough  to  discover  whether  or 
not  he  had  fever.  However,  as  yet,  Madras  has  not 
been  infected  and  all  ports  are  open  to  her,  but  as  I 
look  forth  from  my  safe  harbour  on  this  ship  I  won- 
der how  long  or  how  short  the  time  will  be  before 
the  stalking  spectre  of  death  shall  cast  its  shadow  on 
her  sky,  before  the  rats  begin  to  die,  and  the  people 
to  vanish  like  the  mists  of  the  morning.  In  the 
south,  the  death-rate  among  the  white  people  has 
been  much  greater  than  in  the  north,  though  they 
can  fight  a  better  battle  than  the  natives  and  some- 
times recover.  Under  the  circumstances  I  confess 
that  I  am  glad  to  quit  India. 

It  is  at  all  times  a  pleasure  to  note  with  how  firm 
but  kind  a  hand  England  governs  these  peoples. 
She  has  learned  only  through  sad  experience,  but 
she  has  learned,  and  to-day  all  the  millions  of  the 
land  live  more  contentedly  and  in  greater  accord 
than  they  have  ever  done.  Let  us  hope  for  the 
sake  of  humanity  that  her  rule  will  never  end,  for 
she  would  certainly  lose  her  place  among  the  great 
nations  if  she  lost  India,  and  chaos  would  ensue 
throughout  that  land. 


CHAPTER  VI 

BAY   OF   BENGAL 

Passage  of  the  Bay — Dangers  of  an  Insufficient  Provision  for  an  Ac- 
cident— Native  Crowds  under  Deck — Life  of  a  Saloon  Passen- 
ger on  these  Ships — Edison  and  Omdurman — English  Opinion 
of  that  $20,000,000  Paid  for  Manila — Cholera  on  Board — Pros- 
pect of  Quarantine — Landing  at  Rangoon. 

S.  S.  Putiania,  BAY  OF  BENGAL,  December  2,  1898. 

GIVEN  a  small  ship  of  twenty-eight  hundred 
tons,  and  possessing  but  eight  medium-sized 
boats,  load  the  craft  with  two  thousand  coolies  in  ad- 
dition to  her  first-  and  second-class  passengers  and 
her  crew,  and  one  has  the  elements  for  a  terrible 
tragedy  if  an  accident  should  occur.  Such  boats  as 
could  be  lowered  would  not  carry  a  fraction  of  the 
human  freight  aboard  this  ship.  It  is  horrible  even 
to  think  of  the  scene  that  would  ensue,  and  one 
could  only  hope  that  God  in  His  mercy  would  send 
the  craft  swiftly  to  the  bottom.  There  should  be 
a  law  against  such  overcrowding,  and  yet  when  the 
captain  is  interrogated  his  answer  comes  promptly 
in  the  form  of  a  question:  "  What  great  Atlantic 
liner  carries  enough  life-saving  apparatus  to  save 
her  human  freight  ?  "  None  do  so,  as  I  was  forced 

41 


42    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

to  confess,  yet  I  fancy  that  most  of  the  lines  would 
insist  that  they  send  out  their  ships  well  equipped 
for  any  emergency. 

As  I  look  down  on  the  lower  decks  yonder,  the 
mass  of  wriggling,  seething  blacks  resembles  a  den 
of  serpents.  How  utterly  unmanageable  and  how 
terrible  they  would  be  if  the  slightest  cause  for  com- 
motion occurred !  They  are  on  the  way  to  Burma  to 
work  in  the  rice-fields,  and  will  receive  a  rupee  each 
(thirty-two  cents)  per  day  as  against  one  quarter  of 
the  sum  in  India.  There  are  many  women  among 
them,  and  they  all  live,  eat,  and  sleep  pell-mell 
down  there,  while  on  a  raised  hatch  in  their  midst 
my  servant,  together  with  those  of  several  English 
officers  on  board,  holds  his  state  separate  and  apart. 
Yonder  is  a  black  woman  with  rings  on  toes  and 
fingers;  she  wears  also  anklets  and  bracelets,  ear- 
rings and  necklaces,  all  of  gold  and  silver,  while  her 
black  baby  sits  on  a  box,  destitute  of  all  clothing, 
but  laden  with  jewelry.  These  people  carry  their 
wealth  in  that  way,  and  are  often  murdered  for  the 
treasure. 

Near  the  mother  and  child  are  some  Nautch  girls 
whom  we  have  vainly  endeavoured  to  induce  to 
dance  for  us,  and  beyond  is  a  wriggling,  kicking 
mass  of  scantily  clothed  men,  whose  black  eyes 
gleam  snakelike  in  the  half-light  under  the  awning. 
I  cannot  study  them  as  closely  as  I  should  like,  as 
every  one  of  the  four  thousand  eyes  appears  riveted 
upon  my  face,  especially  the  pair  belonging  to  a 
maiden  at  the  foot  of  the  steps.  The  men,  as  a 
rule,  wear  only  a  breech-cloth,  while  the  women 
drape  themselves  in  one  long  garment,  which  they 


Bay  of  Bengal  43 

manage  to  wrap  in  a  graceful  manner  about  their 
persons. 

The  women  are  not  unpleasant  in  appearance,  and 
one  cannot  but  feel  deeply  sorry  for  them.  Yonder 
are  two  little  girls,  one  twelve  and  the  other  eight 
years  of  age,  both  bright,  pretty,  and  intelligent 
children,  and  apparently  well  educated  for  their 
years,  but  what  sad  fates  await  them !  The  elder  is 
already  married,  and  will  go  to  her  husband  when 
she  reaches  her  fourteenth  year.  He  is  past  fifty — 
such  matches  are  common — and  will  of  course  leave 
her  a  widow  long  before  we  should  consider  a  woman 
as  fully  matured.  According  to  Hindoo  laws  she 
cannot  remarry,  and  there  is  no  future  for  her.  She 
will  probably  do  as  many  of  her  sex  in  this  Eastern 
land  have  done — enter  a  life  of  shame,  very  likely 
in  the  house  of  some  Brahmin. 

Life  on  these  ships  is  generally  pleasant  for  the 
traveller.  I  have  as  companions  in  the  saloon  three 
English  officers,  also  a  Scotch  broker  of  Rangoon — 
all  agreeable,  intelligent  men.  Most  of  the  time  is 
passed  in  listening  to  yarns  of  army  life  in  the  far 
colonies  of  the  British  Empire,  or  else  just  doing 
nothing,  lazily  ensconced  in  long  cane  chairs. 

Will  it  be  news  to  our  wizard,  Edison,  to  know 
that  he  had  largely  to  do  with  the  success  of  Eng- 
land in  the  battle  of  Omdurman,  where  Gordon  was 
at  last  avenged  ?  So  it  would  certainly  appear,  as  it 
is  stated  that  the  search-lights  used  by  the  English 
completely  disorganised  the  forces  of  the  Mahdi,  so 
far  as  the  night  attack  was  concerned. 

I  remarked  to  Major  H ,  who  related  the  cir- 
cumstance: 


44    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

' '  You  see  you  cannot  get  along  without  America. ' ' 

"  God  bless  you,  man,  we  don't  want  to,"  was 
the  reply. 

The  report  comes  now  that  our  Government  has 
offered  Spain  $20,000,000  for  the  Philippines. 
There  is  general  indignation  amongst  the  English 
officers  over  our  doing  so,  and  one  remarks,  "  Why 
pay  her  a  d — d  dollar  ?  How  many  do  you  think 
we  would  pay  her  under  the  circumstances  ?  "  But 
a  truce  to  grave  subjects — they  are  not  for  such  air  as 
this. 

It  is  most  unusual  to  see  any  animal  life  as  one 
passes  over  the  ocean,  but  to-night  as  I  watch  the 
sun  go  down  over  the  Bay  of  Bengal,  across  the 
broad  river  of  crimson  cast  by  his  dying  rays  slowly 
passes  a  great  black  shark,  his  dorsal  fin  and  tail 
cutting  the  waves  like  the  keel  of  a  boat. 

Major  H comes  up  behind  me  as  I  call  his 

attention  to  the  glory  of  the  departing  day. 

"  Bosh,  talk  of  the  sunsets  at  sea!  It  is  the  sun- 
sets over  Piccadilly  that  I  admire,  and  the  beauties 
of  nature  that  walk  the  streets.  I  am  sick  of  sun- 
sets after  thirty  years  in  India." 

Has  the  dreaming  mind  any  power  of  connection 
with,  or  knowledge  of,  passing  events  ?  All  last 
night  I  was  troubled  with  dreams  of  death  and 
funerals,  and  on  awakening  this  morning  was  in- 
formed of  two  deaths  during  the  night  among  the 
coolies,  both  caused  by  cholera,  and  followed  by 
prompt  burials  in  the  sea.  This  may  mean  a  quar- 
antine of  endless  duration  for  the  ship,  for  if  cholera 
has  broken  out  among  that  seething  mass  below, 
God  alone  knows  what  the  end  will  be,  or  whether 


Bay  of  Bengal  45 

any  of  us  will  escape  to  tell  the  tale.  It  is  not  a 
cheerful  outlook  and  we  are  very  grim  over  it  as  we 
see  the  fatal  yellow  flag  hoisted  to  the  foremast. 
What  will  the  port  doctor  say  ?  (These  ships  carry 
no  physicians  of  their  own.)  Yonder  tug  will  settle 
the  matter,  and  we  wait  with  a  hopeless  kind  of 
patience. 

Evidently  cholera  is  not  dreaded  as  is  the  plague, 
for  after  an  inspection  of  the  coolies,  the  ship 
moves  onward,  and  we  land  with  no  detention 
whatever,  save  what  is  occasioned  by  those  who 
pause  to  utter  a  fervent  "  Thank  God,"  as  we  reach 
terra  firma  and  are  free. 


CHAPTER  VII 

BURMA 

First  View  of  the  Great  Pagoda — Sarkie's  Abominable  Hotel  and 
the  Fight  therein — Clubs  and  Parks  of  Rangoon — English  Sec- 
tion— Value  of  Burma  —  Season  for  Travel  —  Departure  for 
Karthay — Cool  Air  of  the  Irrawaddy — Sail  to  Bhamo,  and  Ap- 
proach to  China — Teak  Forests — The  Elephant  at  Work — Sa- 
gacity and  Strength — Cost  of  a  Healthy  Beast — Bhamo — Its 
Trade  with  China — Ancient  Joss-House. 

FROM  the  long  line  of  the  Himalayas  as  they 
stretch  east  and  west  across  the  continent  of 
Asia  several  ranges  of  mountains  run  southward 
into  the  peninsula  of  farther  India.  A  spur  divides 
that  peninsula  into  two  sections,  the  westward  half, 
bound  north  and  east  by  these  mountains,  and 
south  and  west  by  the  Bay  of  Bengal  and  India, 
forming  what  is  called  by  man  "  Burma,"  a  land 
noted  for  its  teak-woods,  its  rice,  carvings,  and 
lacquer-work — a  land  of  commerce  and  Eastern 
romance. 

As  the  traveller  approaches  from  the  sea,  the 
coast  shows  low  and  sandy,  and  slowly  encompasses 
our  ship  as  she  steams  up  the  muddy  Irrawaddy; 
but  long  before  the  land  evolves  itself  from  the 
water  the  great  pagoda  of  Rangoon,  catching  the 

46 


Burma  47 

light  of  the  morning  sun,  gleams  like  a  cone  of  gold 
rising  from  an  ocean  of  mist.  As  our  ship  draws 
nearer  we  find  that  the  temple  stands  on  the  top  of 
a  hill  around  whose  base  the  foliage  of  the  tropics 
rolls  its  leafy  waves. 

Along  the  water-front  the  city  presents  some 
shapely  buildings,  and  the  stream  is  filled  with  a 
goodly  number  of  craft,  European  and  Asiatic.  To 
the  newly  arrived  traveller  Rangoon  is  a  disappoint- 
ment, and  at  first  sight  the  one  word  "  rickety  " 
describes  it  better  than  could  be  done  by  a  volume 
of  six  hundred  pages.  Many  buildings  are  of  brick, 
but  dusty  and  slovenly  in  the  extreme.  The  hotels 
are  an  abomination.  "  Sarkie's,"  which  is  called 
the  best,  would  in  dirt  and  squalour  put  to  shame 
any  of  the  hotels  of  India,  or  the  worst  post-houses 
of  Transcaspia.  The  orgies  which  go  on  there  after 
dark  are  a  disgrace  to  the  authorities  that  allow 
such  a  state  of  affairs.  Coming  in  about  midnight 
on  Monday,  and  expecting  semi-quiet  at  least,  our 
ears  were  greeted  by  a  tumult  from  the  dining-room, 
which,  increasing  momentarily,  lasted  until  three 
o'clock.  No  licence  for  the  sale  of  liquors  is  re- 
quired here,  and  they  sell  all  night.  Each  of  these 
establishments  possesses  a  barmaid,  and  the  one  at 
Sarkie's  had  ascended  from  below  stairs,  celebrating 
her  entrance  by  striking  an  unoffending  man  over 
the  head  with  a  soda-water  bottle.  A  fight  ensued 
and  raged  all  over  the  place.  In  any  other  spot  on 
the  globe  the  police  would  have  put  a  quick  ending 
to  the  affair  and  closed  the  house,  but  I  am  told  that 
these  police,  being  all  natives,  would  not  dare  to 
arrest  a  European.  Scarcely  credible  under  British 


48    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

rule!  It  was  hours  before  those  of  us  who  were 
forced  to  stop  at  Sarkie's  knew  what  quiet  was. 
The  whole  establishment  is  a  disgrace  to  the  place. 

It  is  not  agreeable  to  be  obliged  to  make  such  a 
statement,  but  perhaps  it  may  do  some  good.  It  is 
pleasant  on  the  other  hand  to  render  thanks  for  the 
attention  and  hospitality  of  those  with  whom  it  has 
been  my  good  fortune  to  travel,  and  who  have  made 
these  few  days  bearable.  The  "  Jymkhana  "  Club 
is  a  pleasant  spot  and  full  of  agreeable  people,  and 
the  open-hearted  hospitality  of  the  English  here 
causes  one  to  forget  all  that  is  disappointing. 

As  the  day  declines  we  drive  to  a  very  beautiful 
park  with  some  lovely  lakes  therein.  It  will  stand 
comparison  with  most  of  the  parks  in  Europe,  and 
the  view  from  the  pavilions,  comprising  the  lakes 
with  their  border  of  tropical  foliage,  the  distant 
prospect  over  the  surrounding  country,  and  the 
great  pagoda,  soaring  high  in  the  heavens  and  glit- 
tering like  a  vast  stately  lighthouse,  is  certainly 
unique  of  its  kind. 

As  the  boat  club  is  out  to-night,  the  scene  is  very 
animated,  and  were  it  not  for  the  palms  and  yonder 
group  of  yellow-robed  priests,  we  might  fancy  our- 
selves in  Europe. 

Rangoon  is  laid  off  in  very  wide  avenues  shaded 
by  handsome  trees.  The  houses  are  undoubtedly 
the  best  for  the  place  and  climate,  though  at  first 
they  strike  a  foreigner  as  odd,  to  say  the  least. 
They  are  all  raised  on  stilts  and  are  of  open  work  to 
a  degree  most  amazing  to  those  not  accustomed  to 
such  publicity  in  a  dwelling. 

Of  course,  dust  soon  arises  no  matter  how  wet  the 


Burma  49 

season  has  been,  and  all  Rangoon  looks  dusty  now, 
though  the  "  rains  "  are  not  a  month  past,  and  the 
"  rains  "  this  year  meant  almost  a  downpour  from 
April  to  November. 

Considering  the  fact  that  England  has  had  com- 
plete control  of  Burma  only  since  1885,  the  results 
already  attained  in  the  development  of  the  country 
are  marvellous,  and  will  repay  her  a  millionfold. 
Burma  is  a  very  rich  country  and  is  one  of  the  largest 
producers  of  rice.  Her  resources  are  such  that  in 
the  opinion  of  some  authorities  it  is  probable  that 
in  time  she  will  be  of  more  value  to  England  than 
even  India.  It  is  stated  that  a  lack  of  capital  is  the 
great  drawback  here,  and  that  fifteen,  twenty,  and 
even  thirty  per  cent,  can  be  obtained  for  money 
with  the  best  security  offered  as  collateral,  but  the 
greater  part  of  mankind  regard  Burma  as  being  be- 
yond the  end  of  the  world.  The  railroad  into  China 
will  probably  bring  a  large  trade  from  that  country. 

This  is  the  best  season  here;  the  nights  are  cool 
and  comfortable,  and  the  days  are  not  unbearably 
hot.  It  has  been  said  that  Burma  is  "  ten  degrees 
hotter  than  hell."  It  may  be  so  in  the  summer, 
but  it  is  pleasant  now. 

These  people  possess  strongly  marked  Chinese 
characteristics,  and  it  would,  therefore,  be  impos- 
sible for  me  to  find  anything  charming  in  the  women 
about  whom  one  hears  so  much.  I  am  told  that  the 
pure  types  are  to  be  found  in  the  upper  country,  and 
so  I  will  suspend  judgment.  They  are  considered 
clever,  and  are  the  "  business  men,"  so  to  speak,  of 
the  family.  If  you  contract  with  a  carpenter  it  is 
his  wife  who  carries  on  the  negotiations.  All  the 


50    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

dwellings,  native  and  European,  bear  the  Chinese 
stamp,  the  thick  walls  of  India  having  disappeared. 

Our  train  starts  up  country  at  6  P.M.  We  have 
decided  to  go  through  to  Karthay  and  Bhamo  and 
to  stop  at  Mandalay  on  the  way  down.  It  will  take 
thirty-six  hours,  as  the  distance  to  Karthay  is  some 
six  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  The  dust  is  frightful ; 
it  covers  everything  by  morning,  and  would  be  un- 
bearable were  the  nights  not  cool.  As  it  is,  we  sleep 
well. 

The  mountains  are  not  visible  until  the  day  is  well 
advanced,  the  landscape  presenting  a  vast  level 
plain  covered  with  dusty  acacia  trees.  It  would 
almost  appear  as  if,  in  the  centuries  past,  some  genii 
had  passed  over  Burma  and  strewn  it  with  countless 
bells,  great  and  small,  whose  handles  rear  themselves 
by  thousands  in  every  direction.  Like  all  other 
Buddhist  pagodas,  these  are  solid  and  are  supposed 
to  contain  some  relic.  They  stand  singly  or  in 
large  groups,  some  old  and  grey,  some  white  and 
new — many  in  ruins.  It  is  not  considered  merit- 
orious to  repair  a  pagoda,  but  decidedly  so  to  build 
one,  hence  the  vast  and  constantly  increasing  num- 
bers of  the  sacred  structures.  It  is  a  great  drawback, 
however,  to  the  interest  of  the  traveller  when  he 
finds  that  these  pagodas  are  all  substantially  alike, 
and  that  to  have  seen  the  best  is  to  have  seen  all. 
This  is  not  the  case  with  the  Indian  temples,  where 
no  two  are  alike,  but  in  Burma  the  traveller  soon 
comes  to  regard  them  simply  as  a  picturesque  ad- 
dition to  the  landscape. 

As  the  train  passes  north,  the  mountains  close  in 
upon  us  in  a  long  yellow  chain,  like  unto  those  of 


Burma '  5 1 

the  Valley  of  the  Nile.  Yellow  rivers  roll  their 
sluggish  waters  seaward,  and  all  along  their  banks 
stretch  the  matting  walls  of  the  native  houses,  each 
with  its  bunch  of  pagodas,  making  the  scene  most 
picturesque. 

Our  long  railroad  ride  ends  at  Karthay,  where  we 
board  a  small  river  boat  such  as  are  used  for  post- 
boats  on  the  Nile.  There  are  four  comfortable 
cabins  and  a  pleasant  deck  with  easy-chairs,  all  de- 
lightful to  our  tired  bodies  after  the  rough  jolting 
of  the  train.  The  Irrawaddy  stretches  yellow  and 
sluggish  before  us,  and  as  we  advance  slowly  it 
curves  between  low-lying  banks.  If  the  distant 
mountains  were  yellow  the  resemblance  to  Egypt's 
sacred  river  would  be  most  marked. 

The  air  has  become  so  cool  and  fresh  that  our  top- 
coats are  in  order.  We  are  not  so  far  from  the  great 
Himalayas,  whose  vast  snow-fields  must  temper  all 
the  air  of  upper  Burma.  This  is  the  country  of 
great  game,  and  it  is  not  uncommon  for  the  tele- 
graph poles  to  be  knocked  over  by  elephants,  or  for 
a  royal  tiger,  of  which  the  forests  hold  thousands, 
to  bound  away  through  the  dense  jungle  as  the  iron 
horse  rushes  around  a  curve.  So  far,  neither  in 
Southern  India  nor  in  Burma  have  we  seen  any 
monkeys,  whereas  in  Northern  India  they  abound 
both  in  towns  and  country. 

The  banks  of  the  Irrawaddy  are  covered  with  a 
dense  and  very  tall  growth  of  pampas-grass  with  its 
plume-like  flowers  waving  snowy  and  pure  above  it. 
Ever  and  anon  the  canoes  of  the  natives  shoot  out 
from  some  cool  creek  with  a  swiftness  worthy  of  the 
Indians  of  the  St.  Lawrence,  whilst  amidst  every 


52    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

thatched  village,  and  often  high  on  the  mountains, 
rise  the  sacred  pagodas;  some  are  gold  and  some 
pure  white,  but  most  of  them  are  grey  and  ancient- 
looking,  and,  to  my  thinking,  much  more  beautiful 
to  look  upon  than  the  more  brilliant  structures. 

We  have  reached  once  more  the  land  of  flowers, 
and  yonder  garden  is  full  of  a  reign  and  a  ruin  of 
roses.  There  are  those  simple  old  home  flowers, 
the  marigolds,  sacred  to  a  garden  such  as  each  of 
us  holds  dear,  where  one's  mother  wandered  amidst 
her  roses  and  marigolds  long  ago  in  our  better  and 
purer  days.  How  life  changes  with  us  all !  How 
much  we  have  to  remember,  and  how  much  to 
regret,  and  how  the  perfume  of  a  flower,  or  the 
glint  of  the  gold  of  the  marigold,  brings  it  all  back 
to  us! 

The  air  here  is  full  of  freshness,  every  breath 
being  charged  with  life  and  health — a  wonderful 
change  from  the  languid,  heavy  atmosphere  of  Ran- 
goon. In  fact,  the  atmosphere  at  the  sea-level  in 
the  tropics  produces  a  nameless  horror,  a  sense  of 
boding  ill,  and  forces  one  to  realise  that  one  is 
mortal. 

We  are  evidently  approaching  the  confines  of  the 
Celestial  Empire.  The  roofs  of  the  houses  begin  to 
turn  upwards  at  the  corners,  while  the  ridge-pole 
sinks  a  little  in  the  middle.  The  eyebrows  of  the 
people  slant  more  towards  the  temples,  the  noses  of 
the  women  are  flatter,  and  those  boatmen  yonder 
boast  no  clothing  save  a  vast  straw  hat  shaped  like 
a  mushroom,  which  acts  as  an  equal  protection 
against  sun  and  rain.  The  race  is  apparently  a 
healthy  and  happy  one,  and  as  every  house  stands 


Burma  53 

high  above  the  ground  I  fancy  they  are  spared  many 
of  the  ills  which  attack  the  people  of  India  who  live 
down  in  the  dirt.  The  pagodas  have  lost  the  bell 
shape  of  the  south,  and  are  composed  of  many  roofs, 
one  above  the  other,  each  smaller  than  the  one  be- 
low, and  on  that  one  in  the  distance  a  Chinese 
dragon  flaunts  in  all  its  glory  and  gorgeousness.  A 
flight  of  steps  leads  from  the  river  to  the  main  portal 
of  the  structure,  and  the  noonday  sun  lights  up  the 
blazing  coronet  of  an  alabaster  Buddha,  while 
the  sounds  of  sacred  gongs  float  softly  outward  over 
the  waters. 

The  forests  have  changed  completely,  all  the 
palms  and  bamboos  have  vanished,  all  the  flaming 
flowers  of  the  tropics  have  disappeared.  Yonder 
cool  wood  might  be  of  the  temperate  zone;  the 
mountains  are  a  deep  blue  in  colour,  and  the  clouds 
have  a  rain-washed  look  and  seem  to  hold  snow  in 
their  bosoms.  As  evening  approaches  the  air  is  full 
of  the  fragrance  of  pine  trees  straight  from  the 
region  of  falling  waters,  while  the  rays  of  the  set- 
ting sun  send  long  golden  shafts  through  the  aisles 
of  the  stately  forests,  and  the  wild  clematis  casts 
its  snowy  bridal  wreaths  from  branch  to  branch. 
Great  rafts  of  teak-wood  drift  slowly  past  us,  steered 
by  some  of  these  little  people.  The  forests  from 
which  the  wood  is  cut  are  much  higher  up  than 
Bhamo,  the  trees  still  remaining  in  this  section 
being  strictly  preserved  by  the  Government. 

The  teak  is  a  very  large  and  stately  tree  with  a 
clean  trunk  for  seventy  feet  before  its  branches 
spread  outward.  The  forest  grants  are  from  the 
Government,  and  trees  of  only  a  certain  size  are 


54    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

allowed  to  be  cut.  Elephants  are  used  in  the  haul- 
ing to  the  rivers,  and  sometimes  thirty  of  these 
great  beasts  are  harnessed  to  a  single  tree,  which 
may  measure  some  forty-five  feet  in  length.  This 
length  is  governed  by  the  height  of  the  water. 
Elephants  are  brought  all  the  way  from  Moulmein 
below  Rangoon,  and  take  five  months  to  reach  the 
mountain  forests.  An  elephant  is  trained  to  his 
work  by  hunger,  a  year  being  consumed  in  the 
teaching.  It  is  quite  possible  to  teach  a  full-grown 
beast  captured  in  the  forests. 

There  would  seem  to  be  small  necessity  for  intro- 
ducing steam  or  electric  power  into  certain  depart- 
ments of  trade  in  Burma.  In  the  lumber  business, 
for  instance,  aside  from  the  sawmill,  there  are  other 
forces  which  are  cheaper  and  perhaps  better  than 
the  modern  inventions.  Elephants  are  used  most 
successfully,  and  it  is  a  strange  sight  to  see  those 
enormous  beasts  quietly  working  away,  using  their 
great  power  in  the  moving,  piling,  and  sorting  of 
the  great  teak-woods.  In  one  yard  in  Rangoon 
there  are  nine  at  work.  Their  actions  are  almost 
human,  and  there  appears  to  be  a  perfectly  under- 
stood system  of  signals,  composed  of  guttural  words 
and  strokes  of  a  stick,  between  the  beast  and  his 
rider,  who  sits  perched  aloft  on  a  seat  like  a  saw- 
buck,  and  who  guides  his  charge  by  gentle  taps  of 
the  stick  and  of  his  heel.  His  slightest  motion 
seems  perfectly  comprehended  by  the  elephant,  as 
perfectly  as  a  "  high-school  "  horse  understands  the 
wishes  and  motions  of  his  rider. 

Yonder  are  two  engaged  in  piling  timber  which 
must  first  be  drawn  from  the  mud  into  which  the 


Burma  55 

receding  tide  has  sunk  it.  An  elephant  is  stationed 
at  each  end,  and  after  one  has  lifted  his  end  from 
the  ground  by  inserting  his  tusks  under  it,  he  wraps 
his  trunk  around  it  and  holds  it  high  enough  to 
allow  the  beast  at  the  other  end  to  get  his  tusks  and 
trunk  at  work,  when  in  concert  they  move  forward 
and  place  the  timber  in  its  proper  place.  Timber 
after  timber  is  so  deposited,  each  evenly  placed  so 
that  the  completed  pile,  .which  rises  as  high  as  the 
beasts  themselves,  is  a  regular,  symmetrical  cube. 
Then  the  elephants  stalk  softly  away,  some  to  enter 
the  water  after  stray  logs,  others  to  drag  the  sawn 
timbers  away  from  the  mill.  This  is  done  in  several 
ways:  sometimes  by  a  collar  around  the  neck  to 
which  traces  are  attached,  but  often  the  beast  seizes 
a  rope  in  his  mouth,  this  is  attached  to  a  chain  the 
other  end  of  which  is  wrapped  around  the  timber, 
and  so  it  is  dragged  alongside  the  elephant's  body, 
and  never  once  does  it  get  on  his  toes. 

I  notice  that  with  some  of  the  beasts  the  tusks 
appear  sensitive,  and  then  the  trunk  is  used  as  a 
buffer  between  them  and  the  timber.  Why  the 
trunk  is  not  pierced  is  a  mystery,  but  it  does  not 
seem  to  be  injured  in  the  least.  As  I  stood  watch- 
ing one  at  work,  I  had  a  practical  illustration  of  the 
silence  with  which  they  move.  Something  touched 
me  lightly  on  the  shoulder,  and  glancing  backward 
I  saw  a  huge  beast  quietly  waiting  for  me  to  get 
out  of  the  way.  I  really  think  that  if  it  had  been 
possible  he  would  have  gone  around  me,  but  as  he 
was  dragging  three  great  pieces  of  timber,  each  at 
least  twenty  feet  long  and  a  foot  thick,  he  awaited 
my  pleasure,  and  I  promptly  indicated  it  to  him  by 


56    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

moving  with  a  jump,  it  seemed  to  me,  ten  feet  or 
more.  He  was  an  ancient  and  kindly  old  gentle- 
man, with  the  same  twinkling  expression  that  I 
have  often  observed  in  gentlemen  of  his  age,  but 
not  of  his  size.  As  he  passed  onward  he  flapped 
his  great  ears  in  salutation,  regarding  me  solemnly 
the  while. 

The  strength  of  these  beasts  is  marvellous,  and 
when  put  in  force  at  the  end  of  a  timber,  that  tim- 
ber moves,  no  matter  what  bars  its  progress ;  yet  just 
here  comes  in  one  of  the  greatest  evidences  of  the 
intelligence  of  the  worker.  Yonder  is  one  shoving 
a  heavy  timber  towards  the  sawmill.  He  evidently 
believes  in  husbanding  his  strength,  for,  finding  the 
log  badly  hampered  by  others  around  it,  he  mounts 
the  pile  and  sorts  them  out  in  a  dignified  manner. 
Seemingly  he  has  eyes  all  around  him,  as  he  makes 
no  false  steps  and  his  hind  legs  appear  to  know 
just  where  they  should  be  placed.  One  can  watch 
the  working  of  these  elephants  for  hours  with 
interest. 

A  fine,  healthy  animal  costs  some  forty-five  hun- 
dred rupees,  and  no  good  one  can  be  bought  for 
less  than  three  thousand.  After  the  year's  in- 
struction very  little  trouble  is  experienced  with  them. 
There  is  one  here  that,  when  he  is  weary,  simply 
lifts  off  his  rider,  and  no  amount  of  coaxing  will  in- 
duce him  to  do  more  work  that  day.  This  firm 
employs  two  hundred  beasts  in  the  forests,  and  last 
year  they  lost  thirty  through  sickness,  anthrax  being 
the  most  prevalent  disease.  A  healthy  beast  will 
often  die  during  the  night.  They  are  generally 
worked  until  10  A.M.,  and  then  for  two  hours  in 


Burma  57 

the  afternoon.  As  the  female  has  no  tusks,  she  is 
not  as  serviceable  as  the  male,  but  excels  in  intelli- 
gence, in  which  faculty  she  resembles  her  human 
sisters. 

Navigation  on  the  Irrawaddy  is  of  a  primitive 
character.  The  boats  are  run  only  during  the  day, 
as  the  slightest  approach  of  night  completely  upsets 
the  pilot,  or  else  his  position  on  the  under  deck  ob- 
scures his  sight  of  the  course.  At  all  events,  he  has 
run  us  aground  once,  and  through  two  bamboo 
rafts,  whose  poles  came  rattling  about  us  like  hail 
in  summer.  Why  the  paddles  were  not  destroyed 
is  incomprehensible,  as  the  bamboo  is  very  tough 
and  difficult  to  break.  The  raftsmen  appeared  to 
care  very  little  and  had  little  to  say,  nor  did  they 
lend  the  least  assistance  in  extracting  their  flotilla. 
It  was  done  at  last  and  went  drifting  off  into  the 
darkness  between  the  high  cliffs  which  have  closed 
in  on  the  river.  The  landing  for  the  night  is  shortly 
reached,  our  craft  moored  to  the  bank,  and  its  human 
cargo  sinks  into  slumber. 

Daylight  shows  the  morning  mists  lying  so  thickly 
over  the  river  and  hills  that  the  steamer  is  unable  to 
start  before  nine  o'clock,  and  even  then  is  forced  to 
anchor  in  midstream  once  or  twice,  but  the  sun's 
rays  are  too  strong  for  the  vapours,  and  we  are  en- 
abled to  resume  our  journey.  Our  arrival  at  Bhamo 
will  be  delayed,  but  it  matters  not,  as  that  place 
contains  nothing  of  interest,  being  simply  the 
farthest  northern  point  to  which  the  steamers  run 
at  present.  It  is  in  sight  as  I  write.  The  valley  of 
the  river  has  spread  out  into  a  circle  some  twenty 
miles  in  diameter,  enclosed  by  a  chain  of  mountains 


58    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

not  more  than  three  thousand  feet  in  altitude  at  the 
highest  peak. 

The  left  bank  of  the  stream  presents  a  curious 
sight  just  at  present.  A  concourse  of  buzzards 
have  selected  that  side  for  a  bath,  and  great  is  the 
commotion.  As  each  bird  emerges  from  the  water 
it  hops  away,  and,  turning  its  back  to  the  sun, 
stretches  its  wings  to  their  utmost  in  order  to  dry 
the  feathers.  It  is  a  very  odd  sight  to  see  whole 
rows  of  these  great  birds  standing  in  this  wise  like 
huge  bats,  and  not  at  all  disturbed  by  the  steam 
whistle. 

Bhamo  is  the  most  northerly  point  in  Burma  where 
England  has  a  military  post.  It  is  some  fifteen 
miles  from  China  on  the  east,  but  Burma  extends 
two  hundred  miles  farther  northward.  Caravans 
from  China  come  to  Bhamo  to  load  and  unload,  but 
when  the  railroad  is  completed  the  trade  of  Burma 
with  the  Celestials  is  expected  to  increase  greatly. 
Even  now  Bhamo  is  quite  a  trading  point.  It  con- 
tains about  nine  thousand  inhabitants,  most  of 
whom  are  Chinese. 

There  are  very  few  pagodas  here,  and  none  of  any 
interest  or  importance,  but  there  is  quite  an  interest- 
ing Chinese  joss-house  standing  within  an  old  Bur- 
mese fort.  On  either  side  of  the  gateway  are  the 
figures  of  an  armed  warrior  holding  his  horse.  The 
old  joss-house  is  immediately  within  the  gates  and 
contains  some  curious  images.  Among  them  are 
two  colossal  figures  of  the  good  and  evil  genii.  Be- 
yond and  behind  is  the  new  temple  where  Buddha, 
in  alabaster,  sits  in  high  state  with  ten  ingeniously 
modelled  figures  on  either  side,  while  small  figures 


Burma 


59 


abound  overhead  and  all  around.  Every  section  of 
the  temple,  old  and  new,  is  coloured  to  that  point 
of  gorgeousness  so  dear  to  the  Oriental ;  the  deco- 
rating of  this  inner  shrine  cost  some  fifty  thousand 
rupees  (about  $16,000)  and  was  done  by  the  best 
artisans  of  China. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

IRRAWADDY   AND    MANDALAY 

Down  the  Irrawacldy — The  Steamboats — Scenery  en  Route — The 
Mingun  Pagoda — Approach  to  Mandalay — Appearance  of  the 
Outer  Town — Cleanly  Appearance  of  the  People — The  "  Fort" 
— Burials  Alive  under  its  Walls — The  "  Jars  of  Oil  "  and  their 
Portent — The  Golden  Palace — Pavilion  of  Audience  and  Dragon 
Throne — King  Theebaw — Upper  Burman  Club — Palace  of  the 
Queen — The  Lily  Throne  Room  and  the  Murders  which  Oc- 
curred there — Life  at  the  Club— Military  Smoking  Concert  in 
the  Open — Mandalay  Hill — Temple  of  the  "Seven  Hundred 
Pagodas"  —  Sacred  White  Elephants  —  State  of  the  King — 
Ploughing  of  the  Fields — Fears  of  Usurpation — Burial  of  the 
King. 

NOW  we  start  southward  down  the  sacred  river 
until  Prome  is  reached.  It  would  be  a  diffi- 
cult task  to  describe  the  fantastic  panorama  of  that 
thousand  miles.  The  steamer  we  board  at  Bhamo 
is  an  express  boat,  and  much  superior  to  the  small 
craft  which  brought  us  here.  It  has  large  cabins  and 
a  large  dining-room  enclosed  by  Venetian  blinds. 
There  are  electric  lights  and  all  that  is  needed  for 
the  traveller's  comfort. 

Our  start  downward  is  under  the  most  propitious 
circumstances — no  fog.  The  mountains  of  the 
Celestial  Empire  rise  clear  and  sharp  against  the 

60 


Irrawaddy  and  Mandalay          61 

bright  blue  sky,  and  the  long  winding  stream  glit- 
ters in  the  ever-increasing  sunlight.  Crowds  of 
natives  squat  along  the  banks  and  gravely  regard 
our  departure.  The  Chinese  have  no  more  expres- 
sion than  a  wooden  image,  yet  the  race  has  a 
mysterious  attraction,  and  their  vast  empire  is  in- 
teresting to  explore.  On  the  farther  side  of  that 
broad  chain  of  mountains  the  traveller  would  find 
many  Janizaries,  and  all  that  strange,  mystic  life  of 
the  Chinese  and  Thibetans — but  our  way  lies  south- 
ward. 

The  first  gorge  below  Bhamo  presents  some  very 
fine  scenery,  which  we  passed  in  the  night  on  the 
way  up.  The  Irrawaddy  narrows  to  a  few  hundred 
feet,  and,  at  one  point,  passage  seems  impossible, 
the  channel  being  so  contracted.  The  climax  is 
reached  in  a  towering  precipice  which  rises  grandly 
upward  from  the  river's  edge.  Near  its  base,  on 
the  pinnacle  of  a  detached  rock,  is  perched  a  small 
pagoda,  its  golden  pyramid  and  scarlet  base  stand- 
ing out  against  the  dark  green  background  and 
glowing  in  the  sunlight.  This  air  is  delightful,  and, 
if  forced  to  live  here  in  Burma,  I  should  certainly 
make  frequent  pilgrimages  up  the  river  where  every 
breath  is  full  of  vigour  for  body  and  mind. 

It  does  not  take  long  to  reach  the  hot  lowland, 
and  after  passing  Karthay  one  feels  again  the  tropical 
air  full  of  languour  and  sleep.  The  disposition  to 
walk  vanishes  with  the  cool  breath  of  the  mount- 
ains, and  deck-chairs  are  again  in  demand. 

The  river  grows  wider  and  wider  as  we  approach 
Mandalay.  Pagodas  stud  more  thickly  the  banks  of 
the  stream,  and,  some  nine  miles  above  the  capital, 


62     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

the  vast  masses  of  the  Mingun  Pagoda  are  to  be 
seen,  picturesquely  placed  on  a  knoll  above  the 
river.  Its  huge,  misshapen  bulk  covers  a  square  of 
four  hundred  and  fifty  feet,  its  height  being  but  one 
hundred  and  fifty-five  feet,  or  about  one  third  of 
what  was  intended,  but  the  work  was  never  com- 
pleted and  an  earthquake  rent  the  huge  structure 
into  many  fissures.  It  is  the  largest  mass  of  brick- 
work in  the  world,  but  the  late  King  Mindohn  Min 
attempted  to  surpass  it.  He  commenced  the  con- 
struction of  a  pagoda  which  was  to  have  been  built 
of  stone;  whole  hills  were  called  upon  to  furnish 
the  materials,  and  canals  miles  long  were  built  to 
convey  the  blocks  to  the  spot.  A  French  engineer 
stated  that  with  five  thousand  men  working  every 
day,  eighty  years  would  be  required  for  its  comple- 
tion. After  four  years  of  labour,  during  which  the 
foundations  were  completed,  the  work  was  aban- 
doned, and  with  everything  connected  with  it  stands 
a  ruin  to-day,  just  to  the  east  of  Mandalay  under 
the  Shan  Hills. 

The  mountains  lose  their  stately  forests  and  much 
of  their  height  as  the  steamer  nears  the  capital,  so 
that  the  approach  to  Mandalay  is  not  impressive. 
It  would  be 'difficult  to  make  an  impressive  scene 
out  of  muddy  waters,  sand-banks,  and  barren  hills. 
The  sand-banks  are  the  enemy  of  navigation  on  the 
Irrawaddy,  and  suddenly  arrest  our  steamer's  pro- 
gress when  she  is  within  a  mile  of  the  landing-stage, 
holding  her  fast  for  two  hours,  so  that  it  is  long 
past  noon  when  we  land  in  the  aforetime  royal  city 
of  King  Theebaw. 

It  is  hot  and  dusty  as  we  drive  away  from  the 


Irrawaddy  and  Mandalay          63 

water,  and  heat  and  dust  both  increase  until  the 
desire  to  return  to  the  steamer  almost  overpowers 
the  desire  to  see  this  famous  city.  By  the  courtesy 
of  Major  H I  am  "  put  up  "  at  the  Upper  Bur- 
man  Club,  and  shall  not  have  to  endure  the  hotel, 
which,  from  report,  is  the  worst  in  Burma. 

Forty  years  ago  this  city  of  Mandalay  did  not 
exist,  its  site  being  a  vast  swamp  and  jungle.  Then 
a  royal  edict  appeared,  after  a  consultation  of  the 
stars  by  the  astrologers,  commanding  the  removal 
of  the  capital  from  Amarapura  some  twelve  miles 
away.  Death  was  the  penalty  to  all  who  refused, 
save  in  the  case  of  the  Chinese.  Fear  of  the  British 
Empire,  and  probably  of  that  of  China  also,  caused 
the  King  Mindohn  Min  to  abandon  the  project  so 
far  as  the  Celestials  were  concerned,  but  all  others 
promptly  obeyed  the  edict.  Down  came  stately 
palaces  and  straw  huts,  and  all  were  soon  erected 
where  we  see  them  to-day,  thus  forming  Mandalay, 
the  "  City  of  Gems."  Love  of  trade,  however, 
brought  all  the  newcomers  among  the  Celestials  to 
the  new  capital,  and  all  the  substantial  houses 
therein  belonged  at  first  to  either  Chinese  or  Mo- 
guls, the  natives  having  no  right  to  erect  any  save 
those  of  straw. 

The  streets  of  Mandalay  are  very  wide  and  not 
paved  in  any  way,  the  result  being,  as  already  stated, 
that  the  dust  is  suffocating  as  we  drive  to  the 

fort."  The  shops  and  houses  on  either  side  do 
not  present  an  attractive  appearance,  and  the  travel- 
ler wonders  whether  these  are  not  merely  the 
suburbs  of  the  city,  until  a  sudden  turn  in  the 
avenue  brings  the  "  fort  "  into  full  view.  That, 


64    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

he  knows,  is  the  very  heart  of  Burma,  so  this  must 
be  the  main  portion  of  the  outer  city  of  Mandalay, 
and  thus  it  proves. 

One  thing  strikes  the  passer-by  most  favourably. 
Unlike  most  Eastern  towns  there  are  no  bad  odours, 
and  "  Yoe  "  *  tells  us  this  is  owing  to  the  vast  num- 
ber of  scavenger  dogs  and  of  swine.  As  for  the 
people,  though  not  so  interesting  to  look  upon  as  in 
the  days  of  Theebaw,  they  still  form  a  very  motley 
collection  drawn  from  all  the  races  of  this  section  of 
the  world.  These  streets  are  to-day  full  of  a  varied 
and  ever-changing  panorama,  but  old  habits  and 
laws  are  difficult  to  overcome,  and  the  life  and  bustle 
fall  back  and  away  as  we  approach  the  entrance  to 
the  royal  enclosure. 

Travellers  on  their  way  to  the  club  will  enter  at 
once  upon  the  scenes  connected  with  the  fall  of 
Mandalay  and  the  surrender  of  King  Theebaw.  His 
royal  city,  now  called  the  "  fort,"  together  with  all 
the  buildings  which  were  once  the  scene  of  his 
luxurious  court  life,  is  now  in  daily  use  for  the 
branches  of  the  British  Government  of  Mandalay. 
The  fort  might  be  called  the  "  Kremlin  "  of  Burma, 
but  in  size  it  would  contain  several  of  the  Russian 
citadel.  It  is  a  square  of  a  mile  and  a  half  each 
way,  surrounded  by  a  deep  moat  one  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  wide  which  is  crossed  by  five  bridges.  In 
the  royal  days,  before  1885,  state  barges  floated 
upon  the  waters  of  this  moat,  but  to-day  nothing 
breaks  the  placid  surface  save  countless  lotus  pads 
bearing  aloft  their  pink  and  purple  blossoms. 

The  entire  square  inside  the  moat  is  encompassed 

*  The  Bur  man  :  His  Life  and  Notions,  by  "  Shway  Yoe  "  (Stuart). 


Irrawaddy  and  Mandalay          65 

by  a  brick  wall  fully  thirty  feet  high  and  deeply 
denticulated  its  entire  length.  The  bricks  of  this 
wall  are  of  a  dark  red  colour  and  are  laid  flat,  ap- 
parently without  mortar  or  cement.  Over  the  twelve 
entrances  rise  fantastic,  many-storied  towers,  and 
it  is  in  connection  with  this  wall  and  its  gates  and 
towers  that  the  traveller  encounters  his  first  reminder 
of  the  horrible  cruelties  and  barbarous  superstitions 
of  the  old  Burmans. 

The  land  has  possessed  many  royal  cities  since  the 
days  of  old  Pagahn,  and  human  sacrifices  were  con- 
sidered to  sanctify  and  protect  a  new  capital. 
Therefore  when  Mandalay  was  commenced,  in  1858, 
fifty-two  persons  of  both  sexes  and  all  ages  were 
buried  alive,  three  under  each  of  these  twelve  gates, 
one  under  each  of  the  four  corners,  one  under  each 
of  the  palace  gates,  and  at  the  corners  of  the  tim- 
ber, or  inner  stockade,  and  four  under  the  throne 
itself.  The  victims  were  persons  of  position,  the 
boys  could  have  no  tattoo  marks,  the  ears  of  the 
girls  must  not  be  bored.  When  it  became  known 
that  the  selection  was  being  made  the  city  be- 
came deserted.  The  Government  gave  great  enter- 
tainments, all  unattended,  but  the  "tale"  was  at 
last  completed. 

Four  jars  of  oil  were  also  buried,  one  at  each 
corner  of  the  city,  carefully  covered  and  protected. 
They  were  examined  every  seven  years,  and  so  long 
as  they  remained  intact  the  capital  was  considered 
safe.  In  1880,  it  was  discovered  that  two  of  these 
jars  had  become  empty.  Small-pox  had  carried  off 
two  of  the  King's  sons,  a  great  crown  ruby  had  dis- 
appeared, and  the  royal  tiger  had  escaped  from  its 


66    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

cage,  a  sure  sign  that  the  town  would  soon  be  turned 
into  a  wilderness. 

Something  must  be  done;  Mandalay  had  become 
too  substantial  to  be  moved  or  abandoned,  and  it 
was  decided  to  make  human  sacrifices  of"  a  hun- 
dred men,  a  hundred  women,  a  hundred  boys,  a 
hundred  girls,  a  hundred  soldiers,  and  a  hundred 
foreigners."  The  panic  in  Mandalay  became  so 
great  that  the  city  was  threatened  with  depopula- 
tion. Fright  at  the  indignation  of  England  caused 
the  King  and  his  ministers  to  countermand  the 
edict,  but  it  is  claimed  that  people  were  buried 
alive  under  each  of  the  posts  at  these  twelve  gates. 
All  this  happened  less  than  twenty  years  ago.  Truly 
we  do  not  have  to  turn  to  the  Dark  Ages  to  look  for 
horrors. 

The  cornices  of  all  these  towers,  as  well  as  all  the 
royal  buildings  of  the  fort,  are  of  beautifully  carved 
wood,  flamboyant  in  design  and  resembling  the  tails 
of  dragons  thrown  flauntingly  into  the  air.  Of 
course,  all  the  buildings  of  -Burma  save  the  pagoda 
and  this  wall  of  the  fort  are  of  teak-wood,  which  is 
almost  as  durable  as  stone. 

Entering  the  royal  enclosure  by  its  western  portal, 
the  traveller  will  find  himself  confronted  by  the 
famous  dragon  throne  of  Burma.  It  is  placed  under 
the  great  spire  of  the  palace,  called  "  the  centre  of 
the  world,"  and  is  really  a  portal  in  one  wall  of  the 
Hall — or  rather  pavilion — of  Audience,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  an  elaborately  carved  framework,  all  of 
dragon  tails.  Its  platform  is  raised  some  three  feet 
from  the  floor,  and  is  richly  ornamented  by  small 
mirrors  set  into  its  sides.  Entrance  to  the  throne 


DRAGON  THRONE  OF  KING  THEEBAW,   MANDALAY. 


Irrawaddy  and  Mandalay  67 

is  had  by  means  of  a  flight  of  steps  in  the  rear,  and 
through  two  sliding  doors  of  open  scrollwork,  the 
whole,  and  all  of  the  palace  as  well,  being  covered 
with  gold-leaf  which  is  carefully  preserved  around 
the  throne,  and  is  as  brilliant  to-day  as  when  King 
Theebaw  gazed  his  last  from  yonder  doors  upon  his 
court  in  the  hall  of  columns. 

During  the  days  of  royalty  the  traveller  would 
have  been  permitted  to  enter  this  throne-room,  not 
through  the  great  portals  which  stand  open  to-day, 
but  through  a  small  door  so  low  that  all  must  as- 
sume an  humble  posture  as  they  entered  the  Pres- 
ence. Shoes  were  left  at  that  portal  and  were 
generally  stolen.  A  squatting  posture  was  incum- 
bent upon  all,  and  as  this  posture  could  not  be 
changed  it  insured  exquisite  torture  when  His 
Majesty  delayed  his  coming  for  an  hour,  or  hours, 
which  he  often  did  just  to  impose  this  torture. 
While  waiting  you  might  observe,  to  the  right,  the 
hall  of  the  Supreme  Council. 

All  the  halls  of  the  palace  are  supported  by 
columns,  red  at  the  base  and  gold  the  rest  of  the 
way,  none  of  which  are  less  than  twenty  feet  in 
length,  and  as  clean  and  solid  as  the  day  they  were 
removed  here  from  Amarapura. 

The  age  of  this  structure  does  not  seem  to  be 
known.  Was  it  built  new  for  Amarapura,  or  was  it 
transported  thither  from  some  older  capital  ?  It 
may  have  made  several  peregrinations. 

But  it  is  hot.  Let  us  return  to  the  shelter  of  its 
roof.  Back  of  the  Hall  of  Audience  are  innumer- 
able other  halls  used  of  old  for  the  different  func- 
tions of  the  royal  establishments.  The  courts  on 


68    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

both  sides  are  occupied  by  the  dwelling-places  of 
those  who  were  in  attendance,  and  by  the  many 
tanks  and  towers  always  to  be  found  in  connection 
with  these  royal  abodes. 

The  Upper  Burman  Club  occupies  the  best  pre- 
served and  the  most  beautiful  of  all  the  buildings, 
the  palace  of  the  Queen.  Here  is  her  famous  lily 
throne,  another  gorgeous  conception  of  flying 
dragon  tails  in  carved  wood.  Its  apex  is  a  prow 
of  a  royal  barge  with  a  queen's  statue  as  a  figure- 
head, while  other  queens  and  princes  adorn  the 
carving  up  and  down  its  sides.  As  with  the  King's 
throne,  grilled  doors  give  entrance  from  behind  to 
a  platform ;  it  is  also  similar  to  the  greater  throne 
in  being  a  mass  of  gold-leaf  and  mirrors.  In  fact, 
the  whole  structure,  as  well  as  all  the  walls,  col- 
umns, and  roof  of  the  hall,  are  a  mass  of  gold-leaf. 
It  is  truly  a  unique  place  for  a  club-house,  and  a 
charming  place  as  well.  The  room  behind  the 
throne  is  a  card-room,  where  the  great  American 
game  is  not  neglected. 

When  Theebaw  came  into  power  some  seventy  of 
the  blood  royal  were  murdered  within  the  precincts 
of  this  palace,  and,  it  is  said,  were  buried  under  the 
floor  of  this  room  where  cards  are  now  being  played. 
Possibly  they  were  claimants  to  the  throne,  and  it 
was  considered  well  to  be  quit  of  all  chances  for 
trouble.  So  the  men  were  slaughtered,  and  the 
women  also,  after  having  been  subjected  to  name- 
less tortures.  "  Shway  Yoe  "  tells  us  that  the  treat- 
ment of  the  children  recalled  the  days  when  ravaging 
hordes  marched  through  the  land  with  babes  spitted 
on  their  pikestaffs  for  standards.  The  old  Regent 


Irrawaddy  and  Mandalay  69 

of  Pegu  had  his  "  nostrils  and  gullet  plugged  with 
gunpowder  and  was  then  blown  up." 

All  this  occurred  just  here  while  dancing  and 
music  were  kept  up  to  drown  the  cries  of  the  vic- 
tims. The  guilt  of  these  murders  was  laid  at  the 
door  of  the  Queen  and  the  Queen  Dowager.  His- 
tory has  repeated  itself  of  late  in  the  Empire  of 
China,  where  the  Dowager  Empress  holds  supreme 
command  through  the  medium  of  a  weak  emperor, 
and  many  executions. 

But  to  return  to  the  Burmese  palace.  The  audi- 
ence hall  of  the  Queen  with  its  stately  columns  is 
now  a  library  and  writing-room,  the  latter  being 
wainscoted  by  screens  of  coloured  glass,  enclosing 
small  mirrors  of  all  shapes  imaginable.  In  an  outer 
room  I  can  see  punkas  waving  over  the  billiard- 
table,  and  through  the  vistas  of  the  garden  one 
may  discern  the  summer-house  where  Theebaw  laid 
down  his  crown  at  the  bidding  of  England.  The 
chambers  of  the  club  are  in  the  many  detached 
buildings  of  the  court.  Mine,  from  its  position, 
must  have  been  occupied  by  some  favourite  of  the 
King  in  the  old  days,  but  to-day,  if  you  approach 
any  of  the  wooden  structures,  you  will  probably  be 
saluted  by  a  deep  English  voice  demanding,  "  Boy, 
punka,"  or  more  likely  a  "  half  a  peg  and  a  split 
soda,"  but  if  you  enter  you  will  receive  a  hearty 
welcome,  while  at  the  same  time  "  boy  "  is  ordered 
to  double  up  on  that  "  peg  and  soda." 

Life  at  the  club  at  Mandalay  glides  smoothly  and 
pleasantly  along,  and  one  leaves  with  regret  and 
with  grateful  remembrances  for  its  warm-hearted 
hospitality.  It  is  full  of  officers  of  the  army,  and 


70    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

from  each  and  all  I  have  heard  nothing  save  the 
kindest  expressions  of  feelings  towards  my  own 
land,  while  at  the  same  time  indignation  is  con- 
stantly expressed  at  our  action  in  paying  the 
Spanish  a  dollar  for  Manila.  Many  are  the  plans 
suggested  for  a  closer  union  of  our  nations,  one 
being  that  we  furnish  the  army,  while  Great  Britain 
furnishes  the  navy.  Then,  as  one  man  expressed 
it,  "  The  rest  of  the  world  might  go  to  Ballyho." 

After  dinner  last  night  I  went  to  a  smoking  con- 
cert given  in  the  open  air  and  before  a  roaring 
camp-fire.  All  the  officers  of  the  Burma  service,  in 
full  uniform,  surrounded  the  Commanding  General 
and  the  ladies  of  Mandalay,  while  on  either  side 
stretched  a  circle  of  private  soldiers  (English  and 
native),  and  beyond  them  groups  of  grave-eyed  Bur- 
mese. As  for  the  concert,  it  was  what  might  be 
expected  from  a  lot  of  jolly  soldiers,  and  what  it 
lacked  in  artistic  merit  was  made  up  in  good-will 
and  good-fellowship. 

Mandalay  Hill  rose  in  the  background,  upon  which, 
in  ghostly  array,  gleamed  the  white  pagodas  of  the 
people,  while  behind  us  clustered  the  temple  of 
the  seven  hundred  pagodas,  where  the  religion  of 
Buddha  stands  graven  in  stone.  The  usual  bell- 
shaped  structure  is  surrounded  by  more  than  seven 
hundred  shrines,  arranged  in  an  immense  square;  in 
the  centre  of  each  is  a  tablet  in  stone  thickly  carved 
with  portions  of  their  holy  book.  The  whole  is  en- 
closed by  a  high  wall  for  protection,  and  stands  a 
most  interesting  and  impressive  monument  to  the 
religion  of  Buddha. 

The  vicinity  of  Mandalay  is  so  covered  by  pagodas 


Irrawaddy  and  Mandalay  71 

that  it  is  impossible  to  visit  many  of  them ;  but 
they  are  so  much  alike  that  when  one  has  seen  the 
great  structure  at  Rangoon  one  has  seen  the  best  of 
all. 

Much  of  Mandalay  has  been  destroyed  by  fire,  as 
wood  enters  largely  into  the  construction  of  the  city, 
and  for  months  at  a  time  there  is  no  rain. 

As  the  traveller  passes  through  the  streets  of  the 
city  he  may  be  pardoned  if  he  longs  for  just  one 
day's  return  of  the  court  life.  It  would  be  interest- 
ing'to  see  the  King  rise  up  from  his  golden  throne, 
clothed  in  his  robes  of  state  and  his  spire-like  crown, 
and,  mounting  his  white  elephant,  proceed  to  the 
ceremony  of  ploughing  the  fields.  This  omitted, 
no  good  crop  could  be  expected.  White  elephants, 
we  are  told,  do  not  mean  white  as  to  colour,  but 
simply  a  certain  shape  of  the  ears  or  a  fringe  on 
both  sides  of  the  tail.  A  white  elephant  was  a 
sacred  elephant,  and  could  be  used  only  by  the 
King.  Gorgeously  arrayed,  and  shielded  by  a  white 
umbrella,  he  sallied  forth,  attended  by  all  the  high 
dignitaries  of  Church  and  State,  in  crimson  caps  and 
crimson  mantles,  like  those  of  a  Doge  in  Venice. 

The  royal  road  had  been  shut  off  from  the  sight  of 
his  subjects  by  high  bamboo  fences  through  which 
they  were  not  expected  to  peep,  but  through  which 
they  did  peep.  However,  the  "  Rotten  Row  "  of 
Burma  was  deserted  when  the  King  and  court  passed 
outward.  He  really  did  do  a  little  ploughing,  but 
spent  much  more  time  watching  his  fat  ministers 
doing  it.  It  is  hot  in  Burma,  especially  in  June, 
and  the  ministers  did  not  enjoy  this  sacred  custom, 
but  little  cared  the  King;  he  kept  them  at  it  until 


72     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

he  grew  tired  of  the  sight,  then  he  signalled  for  a 
return  to  the  palace  and  his  dragon  throne,  perhaps 
wondering  the  while  whether  some  usurper  had  not 
occupied  it  during  his  absence,  as  often  fell  out  in 
Burma.  The  fear  of  such  an  occurrence  was  one 
reason  why  a  monarch  rarely  left  the  royal  enclosure. 
If  the  usurper  proved  the  stronger,  the  King's  body 
passed  to  the  keeping  of  the  waters  of  the  Irra- 
waddy,  securely  done  up  in  a  red  velvet  bag.  That 
river  has  proven  the  sepulchre  for  many  of  the  royal 
house. 

The  return  to  the  palace  was  not  made  with  that 
degree  of  splendour  which  marked  the  outgoing; 
the  robes  of  state  were  discarded  for  cooler  gar- 
ments, and  a  chariot  drawn  by  bullocks  took  the 
place  of  the  elephant.  As  the  cortege  passed  on- 
ward the  city  awoke  to  life,  and  the  fete  of  the 
people  assumed  full  proportions. 

But  fetes  and  shows  have  passed  forever  from  the 
court  of  the  palace  of  Mandalay.  King  Theebaw 
lives  a  life  of  idleness  and  pleasure  on  the  Bombay 
coast,  whence  but  lately  he  sent  word  to  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Mandalay  that  a  new  stock  of  wives  would 
be  acceptable,  as  he  was  tired  of  the  thirteen  who 
were  with  him. 


CHAPTER  IX 

MONASTERIES 

Foundation  of  the  Monasteries — Queen's  Golden  Monastery  in  Man- 
dalay — Carvings  and  Gildings — Sleepers  and  the  "  Butterfly 
Spirit  " — The  Enthroned  Buddha  and  his  Sanctuary — The 
Tower  of  Contemplation — Duties  of  a  Monk — His  Begging 
Outfit — Picturesque  Costume — Closing  Services  before  the 
Shrine — The  Ending  of  the  Day — Ritual  of  Ordination — 
Strange  Medicines — The  Four  Cardinal  Sins — Punishment  for 
Violation  thereof  is  Like  that  of  the  Leper  of  Old — No  Su- 
preme Being — Christianity  and  Buddhism  Compared. 

AS  with  God,  so  with  Buddha,  the  groves  are  his 
first  temples.  Every  monastery  must  be  em- 
bowered in  beautiful  trees,  for  under  a  tree  Buddha 
attained  his  full  dignity.  Under  one  he  was  born 
and  died,  and  the  last  Buddha  of  the  world  will 
receive  his  office  under  the  trees.  As  in  the  Christ- 
ian faith,  so  in  the  Buddhist,  kings  and  nobles  vied 
with  each  other  in  erecting  sacred  monasteries. 

The  more  one  studies  this  religion,  the  more 
strongly  does  its  resemblance  to  our  own,  in  many 
of  the  lesser  points,  become  apparent.  '  Take  thy 
shoes  from  off  thy  feet  "  holds  in  Burma  where 
these  sacred  buildings  are  concerned,  for  all,  from 
the  King  down,  must  do  that  when  they  enter  the 
holy  precincts ;  and  it  is  ordained  by  the  priests  that 

73 


74    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

the  site  of  every  monastery  is  holy,  as,  since  Bud- 
dha's time,  it  has  been  used  for  sacred  purposes  and 
none  other.  It  is  a  pleasant  sight  to  see  the  doves 
that  congregate  within  these  sacred  enclosures;  the 
murmuring  of  their  cooing  is  music  to  the  ear. 

It  is  a  matter  of  great  regret  that  so  many  of  the 
finest  monasteries  of  Mandalay  were  swept  away  by 
the  fire  which  destroyed  "  the  incomparable  pa- 
goda.'' If  a  few  more  conflagrations  occur  there 
the  loss  to  the  world  will  be  great,  and  that  which 
is  now  a  unique  corner  of  the  globe  will  be  turned 
into  a  dusty,  barren  waste.  As  these  buildings  all 
stand  detached,  in  separate  compounds,  it  would 
seem  that  much  that  has  been  lost  might  have  been 
saved,  but,  of  course,  being  constructed  of  wood, 
the  liability  to  blaze  is  great  during  the  dry  season. 

Every  town  and  hamlet  of  Burma  possesses  at 
least  one  of  these  sacred  institutions,  and  in  the 
cities  they  are  numberless. 

The  Queen's  golden  monastery  in  Mandalay  forms 
one  of  the  most  interesting  collections  of  buildings 
in  Burma.  It  is  within  the  city  and  covers  an  entire 
block.  The  great  monastery  occupies  the  centre  of 
the  square,  and  around  it,  at  a  respectful  distance, 
are  placed  the  buildings  of  lesser  rank,  each  and  all 
beautiful  in  rich  carving;  but  to  describe  one  is  to 
describe  all,  and  the  great  building  will  more  than 
suffice  for  that  purpose.  It  is  raised,  as  are  all  the 
buildings  in  Burma,  some  ten  feet  from  the  ground, 
the  approach  to  this  main  platform  being  by  several 
flights  of  massive  steps,  made  of  brick  covered  with 
grey  cement,  but  all  the  rest  of  the  structure  is  of 
the  time-defying  teak-wood. 


Monasteries  75 

This  main  platform  runs  entirely  around  the 
monastery,  and  supports  three  buildings  of  the  usual 
Burmese  form,  which  somewhat  resembles  the  chalet 
style  of  architecture,  save  that  here  the  lines  all 
turn  upward.  Two  of  these  buildings  have  lofty, 
many-storied,  receding  roofs,  while  the  third  bears 
on  its  summit  a  soaring,  many-storied  tower. 
Around  each  roof,  along  the  ridge-poles  and  eaves, 
run  standing  cornices  of  the  most  delicate  and  elabor- 
ate carvings,  while  curtains  of  exquisite  woodwork 
hang  from  the  eaves.  The  walls  of  the  structures 
are  in  panels  with  glass  in  the  centre,  and  every 
atom  is  elaborately  carved  except  the  steps  and  the 
glass.  All  of  the  buildings  with  the  exception  of 
the  high  tower  are  covered  with  gold-leaf  that  never 
tarnishes.  The  effect,  under  a  brilliant  sunlight, 
and  embowered  in  trees,  can  be  better  imagined 
than  described. 

The  noonday  heat  has  caused  the  monastery  to 
be  closed,  and  we  enter  through  a  low  door  in  the 
corner,  finding  the  place  full  of  shadows  athwart 
which  every  here  and  there  gleam  long  rifts  of  sun- 
light. Gilding  and  red  lacquer  show  dimly  in  the 
half-light,  as  does  the  soft,  dull  yellow  of  the  silken 
robes  of  sleeping  priests,  or  the  blazing  gold,  brass, 
and  bronze  of  the  great  sanctuary. 

No  one  would  dare  to  awaken  these  sleeping 
monks,  lest  the  butterfly  (spirit)  which  is  off  some- 
where in  space  might  be  frightened  and  never  return 
to  its  earthly  habitation,  and  the  result  would  mean 
death.  This  religion  does  not  admit  of  a  spiritual 
essence  of  any  sort  in  man.  It  is  considered  to  be 
merely  a  sixth  sense  called  the  "  faculty  of  know- 


76    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

ing,"  but  it  is  material.  They  do  not  deny  its  im- 
portance, for  by  it  a  man  can  attain  to  the  higher 
heaven  through  meditation  which  the  possession  of 
this  sense  enables  him  to  carry  on.  But  the  exist- 
ence of  a  soul  and  its  separation  from  the  body  and 
flight  to  heaven  they  do  not  admit.  However, 
superstition,  or  what  you  will,  has  crept  in  and 
proven  stronger  than  pure  doctrine,  and  the  result 
is  the  butterfly  spirit.  They  believe  it  can  separate 
from  and  return  to  a  sleeper.  It  is  often,  however, 
frightened  away  and  never  returns. 

Dreams  are  to  the  people  a  sure  proof  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  butterfly.  If  two  people  have  loved 
devotedly,  and  the  death  of  one  is  followed  immed- 
iately by  that  of  the  other,  it  is  because  their  but- 
terflies could  not  be  separated.  With  us  it  would 
be  called  a  broken  heart.  No  Burman  can  be 
induced  to  awaken  a  sleeper,  and  so  we  seat  our- 
selves in  the  shadow  until  it  pleases  the  butterfly  of 
some  one  of  these  yellow-robed  dreamers  to  return 
to  earth. 

The  odour  of  lilies  is  heavy  on  the  air.  The  lights 
gleam  faintly  before  the  sanctuary  where  Buddha 
enthroned  is  also  dreaming,  his  bronze  features 
almost  startled  into  life  by  one  long  ray  of  brilliant 
sunlight  which  comes  slanting  downward,  lighting 
all  the  jewels  of  his  crown  into  quivering  flames. 
The  place  is  a  forest  of  shadowy  golden  pillars  and 
dim  recesses — a  place  of  peace,  a  spot  to  dream  in. 
But  the  butterfly  spirit  has  returned  to  the  abbot, 
who  has  been  sleeping  on  a  mat  with  a  heap  of 
yellow  flowers  near  his  head.  Rousing,  he  wel- 
comes us,  and  with  dignified  gestures  gives  us  the 


ENSHRINED  BUDDHA  GOLDEN   MONASTERY,   MANDALAY. 


Monasteries  77 

freedom  of  the  place,  and  then  returns  to  contem- 
plation, his  hands  clasped  around  his  knees,  upon 
which  his  shaven  head  is  bowed,  his  yellow  robe 
flowing  around  him  in  billowy  folds. 

The  building  is  of  but  one  story,  as  no  Burmese 
will  allow  anyone  to  live  over  him.  The  interior  is 
one  hall,  supported  by  columns  of  red  lacquer  and 
gold,  with  now  and  then  a  screen  between  them. 
The  colossal  figure  of  Buddha  is  of  brass,  beautifully 
polished,  and  so  perfectly  joined  that  the  lines  of 
meeting  cannot  be  discovered. 

The  many-storied  tower  on  the  right  in  the  illus- 
tration is  used  as  a  place  of  retirement  and  medita- 
tion by  the  monks,  in  imitation  of  Buddha,  and 
every  passing  breeze  draws  sweet  music  from  its 
many  golden  bells. 

The  Buddhist  monk  is  not  troubled  as  to  the 
spiritual  welfare  of  his  people;  he  has  no  care  for 
the  salvation  of  their  souls.  His  wants  are  supplied 
by  the  people;  if  he  travels  they  pay  for  it.  He 
has  simply  to  enter  a  car  or  steamboat,  and  to  in- 
form those  around  him  that  he  desires  to  go  to  such 
and  such  a  place.  A  contribution  is  at  once  taken 
up,  his  passage  paid,  and  his  food  provided  for. 
He  literally  takes  no  thought  for  the  morrow.  The 
people  expect  nothing  from  him  in  return  for  their 
charity.  He  is  not  required  to  preach,  or  to  give 
comfort  to  the  sick  and  dying,  or  even  to  assist  at 
the  last  rites  of  the  dead.  In  fact,  all  he  has  to  do 
is  to  seek  his  own  salvation.  He  must  be  forever 
poor  and  humble  and  full  of  kindness  for  man  and 
beast.  He  must  live  apart  from  the  world,  and 
"  observe  certain  moral  precepts."  His  earthly 


78    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

possessions  and  wardrobe  are  scanty.  He  must  be 
possessed  of  the  dookoht,  a  yellow  rectangular  cloth 
worn  in  folds  like  a  mantle;  also  of  a  cloth  worn 
around  the  loins,  falling  to  his  ankles  and  held  in 
place  by  a  girdle.  There  is  another  mantle-like 
cloth  thrown  over  the  whole  costume;  he  wears 
sandals,  and  his  head  is  shaven.  He  carries  his 
begging-bowl,  a  short-handled  axe  for  wood-split- 
ting, a  needle,  and  a  water-dipper.  This  must  be 
a  strainer,  so  that  he  runs  no  risk  of  taking  animal 
life.  A  fan  completes  his  costume. 

These  monks  may  use  no  colour  in  their  dress 
save  a  dull  yellow  and  orange,  and  a  group  of  them 
passing  in  and  around  one  of  their  fantastically 
carved  temples,  embowered  in  luxurious  trees, 
presents  a  most  picturesque  sight. 

With  the  dawn  of  day  comes  the  clatter  of  the 
wooden  gong,  the  Kaladit,  making  noise  enough  to 
rouse  the  deepest  sleeper.  Then  comes  the  morn- 
ing prayer:  "  How  great  a  favour  has  the  lord 
Buddha  bestowed  upon  me  in  manifesting  to  me  his 
law,  through  the  observance  of  which  I  may  escape 
hell  and  secure  my  salvation." 

The  morning  service  is  intoned  before  the  great 
image  of  Buddha.  The  simple  work  of  the  day 
follows — cleaning  the  temple,  watering  the  sacred 
trees,  the  offering  of  flowers  at  the  shrines.  Medi- 
tation of  some  hours  precedes  the  simple  meal, 
which  they  take,  not  to  please  the  appetite,  but  to 
satisfy  the  body. 

As  the  sun  rises  and  the  shadows  shorten,  these 
sacred  institutions  assume  their  most  picturesque 
appearance,  for  then  the  monks  sally  forth  and  beg 


Monasteries  79 

their  food.  With  their  abbot  at  the  head  they  de- 
scend the  steps  in  single  file,  their  yellow  robes 
brought  into  bold  relief  by  the  grey  of  the  found- 
ations, while  above  them  glitter  the  golden  walls  of 
the  sacred  house,  and  above  all  bend  the  magnifi- 
cent trees  which  are  always  to  be  found  surrounding 
them.  Slowly  the  procession  winds  its  way  outward 
and  into  the  town,  and  with  stately  steps  makes  its 
daily  rounds,  pausing  constantly  to  receive  the  food 
which  is  showered  into  the  alms  bowl,  but  returning 
no  word  or  glance  of  thanks.  They  confer  a  favour 
by  receiving. 

These  alms  should  by  the  laws  of  Buddha  furnish 
the  daily  food,  but  the  degenerates  of  to-day  give 
it  to  the  boys,  dogs,  and  birds,  while  they  sit  down 
to  a  well-prepared  meal.  In  fact,  the  monks  of  to- 
day, with  few  exceptions,  live  very  luxurious  lives. 
They  strive  after  the  forms  and  ceremonies,  and 
most  of  the  minor  things  in  life,  but  surely  miss  the 
greater  end.  Meditation,  aside  from  teaching,  is 
their  principal  occupation.  Only  by  meditation 
does  simple  man  become  fitted  for  Neh'ban,  and 
possession  of  the  six  kinds  of  wisdom  :  "  the 
faculty  of  seeing  like  a  spirit,  the  faculty  of  hearing 
like  a  spirit,  creative  power,  knowledge  of  the 
thoughts  of  others,  freedom  from  passion,  know- 
ledge of  one's  own  past  existence." 

Therefore  they  sit  and  dream,  and  much  of  their 
dreaming  is  but  another  word  for  prolonged  sleep. 

As  the  sun  goes  down  all  who  wear  the  yellow 
robe  must  be  within  the  walls  of  the  monastery. 
The  scholars  are  examined  and  recite,  rituals  are 
chanted,  sometimes  a  sermon  is  delivered,  until  the 


8o    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

shadows  deepen  into  night.  Then  the  vesper  lauds 
are  chanted,  after  which  a  voice  proclaims  the  hour, 
the  day  of  the  week  and  of  the  month,  and  the 
number  of  the  year.  Then  the  yellow-robed  figures 
make  their  salutations  before  the  abbot  and  before 
Buddha,  and  glide  away  to  rest,  and  the  day  is  done. 

The  books  of  the  Buddhist  ritual  of  ordination 
are  written  in  characters,  to  read  which  a  special 
education  is  required,  and  the  ceremonies  of  conse- 
cration are  too  long  and  too  elaborate  to  be  more 
than  referred  to  in  a  sketch  like  this.  A  candidate 
is  examined  as  to  his  bodily  health,  and  questioned 
as  to  any  hereditary  taints,  as  to  his  legitimacy,  age, 
etc.  The  rule  of  poverty  is  impressed  upon  him, 
he  is  in  duty  bound  to  beg  for  food  with  the  labour 
of  his  feet.  He  must  gain  his  sustenance  by  his 
feet  and  not  with  the  hands,  or  beg  with  the  tongue. 
Buddha  decreed  yellow  clothes  made  of  rags  from 
the  streets,  or  from  among  tombs,  but  now  if  a 
monk  can  procure  cloth  or  silk  he  may  do  so,  and 
most  of  them  do,  their  costumes  being  very  rich  as 
to  texture  and  beautiful  in  colour. 

The  Buddhists  of  Burma  do  not  dread  other  re- 
ligions, and  so  long  as  their  monastic  schools  are 
attended  they  have  no  cause  for  fear.  All  other 
sects  are  tolerated,  with  no  apparent  effect  on  the 
numbers  of  their  following.  Still,  there  are  troubles 
among  the  faithful.  There  are  two  parties,  one  of 
which  adheres  strictly  to  the  faith  as  Buddha  gave 
it, — and  the  purest  Buddhism  is  found  here  in 
Burma, — and  the  other,  which  has  become  luxurious, 
wears  silken  garments,  and  has  made  many  changes. 

One   rule    which    strikes  the    observer   as   very 


BUDDHIST  PRIEST,  MANDALAY. 


Monasteries  81 

strange  is  as  follows:  "  U  is  incumbent  upon  an 
elect  to  use  as  medicine  the  urine  of  the  cow  or 
black  bullock  in  which  the  juice  of  a  lemon  or  other 
fruits  has  been  poured."  It  does  not  say  for  what 
complaint  this  may  prove  beneficial.  He  is  warned 
against  four  sins:  carnal  pleasures,  stealing  or  covet- 
ing, killing  any  living  thing,  and  the  arrogation  to 
himself  of  supernatural  perfection  or  power,  or  to 
assume  vainglory  as  a  holy  man.  Sooner  can  the 
lofty  palm  that  has  been  cut  down  become  green 
again  than  an  elect  guilty  of  the  disregard  of  these 
laws  remain  a  member  of  the  order.  The  penalty 
for  such  sin  is  the  entire  exclusion  from  the  society, 
and  nothing  can  palliate  the  offence.  He  would  be 
stoned  by  the  people  and,  in  some  localities,  put  to 
death.  If  he  is  excommunicated  he  is  driven  forth 
like  a  leper  of  old  and  may  not  drink  of  a  running 
brook  or  a  wayside  fountain.  He  is  an  outcast  in 
the  fullest  sense  of  the  word.  As  a  Mohammedan 
will  not  step  on  a  piece  of  paper  for  fear  it  may  con- 
tain the  name  of  Allah,  so  a  Buddhist  must  walk 
carefully  lest  he  crush  the  smallest  atom  of  animal 
life. 

There  is  no  supreme  being  in  Buddhism;  neither 
are  there  any  prayers.  The  doxologies  repeated 
are  often  the  composition  of  the  persons  themselves 
learned  at  school : 

I  worship  the  Buddha.  I  worship  the  law,  etc. 
By  worship  I  gain  merit  and  purity  of  heart  and  am 
freed  from  starvation,  plague,  and  warfare,  from 
hell,  and  at  last  pass  into  Neh'ban." 

This  religion,  while  it  strives  for  perfection  in  the 
lesser  things,  fails  most  utterly  and  entirely  in  the 

6 


82    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

greater.  Buddha  walked  forth  and  gave  his  body 
to  save  the  starving  tigress  and  her  cubs.  His  fol- 
lowers are  most  gentle  and  tender  of  all  animal  life, 
and  will  not  kill  even  a  poisonous  reptile  in  their 
houses,  but  their  indifference  to  human  life  is  ap- 
palling. They  will  not  lift  hand  or  foot  to  save  it. 
How  different  are  the  teachings  of  the  Nazarene! 
He  gave  Himself  as  a  sacrifice,  but  for  mankind. 
His  doctrine  teaches  love  and  sympathy  for  His 
people.  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of 
the  least  of  these,  ye  have  done  it  unto  Me  "  is  an 
unknown  creed  among  these  Buddhists,  but  they 
will  go  out  of  their  way  to  save  the  life  of  a  snake. 
Surely  the  one  religion  is  immortal,  while  the  other 
will  pass  away  when  the  final  cycle  of  Buddha  shall 
have  been  reached. 


CHAPTER  X 

BURMESE   CUSTOMS 

Farewell  to  Mandalay — Brilliant  Scene  on  the  River  Banks — The 
Women  of  Burma — Their  Dress  and  Appearance — Childbirth 
and  the  Useless  Suffering  Enforced  by  "Custom" — Cargo 
Steamers  and  the  Gay  Life  thereon— Marvellous  Tattooing — 
Its  Significance — Superstition  and  Magic — Horrible  Customs 
and  Weird  Incantations. 

NOW  farewell  to  Mandalay.  My  stay  here  has 
been  most  interesting  and  delightful,  and  one 
not  soon  to  be  forgotten.  I  do  not  get  off  without 
a  visit  to  Signior  Beato's  curios,  and  some  of  them 
will  go  westward  with  me.  His  display  of  wood- 
carving  is  especially  fine.  These  people  excel  in 
this,  and  to  our  notion  it  is  marvellously  cheap 
(though  the  Signior  does  not  give  his  curios  away). 
Some  of  it  is  delicately  beautiful,  and  some  gro- 
tesque, but  all  is  interesting,  and  being  of  teak-wood, 
it  is  very  durable.  There  is  also  beautiful  work 
in  silver  and  ivory  and  exquisite  embroideries — 
but  it  is  some  distance  to  the  river  and  we  must 
move  on. 

Travel  on  the  Irrawaddy  has  lost  much  of  its  fas- 
cination since  the  building  of  the  railways,  still  the 
scene  on  the  banks  as  we  wait  to  depart  is  full  of  life 

83 


84    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

and  interest.  It  is  blazing  hot,  but  that  appears  to 
make  no  difference,  save  to  the  Europeans,  who 
scurry  under  cover.  The  banks  are  very  high  and 
very  dusty.  There  are  several  steamers  about  to 
depart  both  up  and  down  the  river,  and  each  has  its 
separate  crowd  of  travellers  accompanied  by  the 
usual  gang  of  pariah  dogs  that  snarl  and  snap  at 
every  foreigner  they  catch  sight  of.  Now  the  crowd 
separates  and  in  stately  procession  approach  a  lot  of 
yellow-robed  monks,  each  carrying  a  golden  um- 
brella, while  high  on  the  banks  pass  a  string  of 
elephants  clanking  their  bells  and  chains  and  flap- 
ping their  huge  ears. 

Yonder  group  of  women  must  be  persons  of  con- 
sequence, as  they  are  treated  with  a  deference  fully 
equal  to  that  accorded  the  monks.  The  sister  of 
the  late  Queen  has  just  died  in  Rangoon  and  these 
are  her  relatives  and  members  of  her  suite  going 
down  to  the  funeral.  That  old  woman  in  pink  and 
blue  silk  is  evidently  of  high  estate,  as  every  native 
man  that  passes  her  immediately  kadaws*  and  keeps 
kadawing  all  the  time  he  is  in  her  presence.  The 
entire  court  travel  second  class,  notwithstanding 
their  exalted  rank. 

It  is  marvellous  that  Burmese  women  ever  consent 
to  bear  children,  or  rather  that  they  should  willingly 
run  the  risk  of  going  a  second  time  through  the 
tortures  visited  upon  them  by  the  customs  of  the 
land,  and  "  custom  "  in  all  these  Eastern  lands  is 
more  absolute  in  its  power  than  any  ruler  of  this 
world  past  or  present. 

In  Burma  "  custom  "  prescribes  that  after  a  child 

*  See  page  466,  "  Yoe." 


BURMESE  WOMAN. 


Burmese  Customs  85 

is  born,  the  poor  mother,  no  matter  what  the  tem- 
perature may  be,  shall  be  covered  with  all  the  rugs 
and  blankets  that  can  be  procured.  She  is  also 
heated  to  a  burning-point  by  hot  bricks  placed 
under  her  body.  This  is  kept  up  for  a  week,  when 
what  is  left  of  the  poor  creature,  who  is  generally  a 
mere  child,  is  allowed  to  go  free;  but  years  have 
been  added  to  her  appearance,  so  that  an  old  hag 
has  been  produced  from  what  was  but  a  month 
back  a  fresh  young  girl. 

There  is  not  a  young  face  among  all  that  gaily 
dressed  group,  and  most  of  them  are  wizened  and 
old  as  a  woman  should  not  be  at  sixty.  When  got- 
ten up  en  f£te,  however,  these  Burman  women  pre- 
sent a  gay  appearance.  The  costumes  are  always 
composed  of  soft  silk,  which  lends  itself  to  graceful 
draping.  Yonder  stands  one  with  a  pink  silk  sarong, 
which  falls  from  the  waist  quite  to  her  feet  in  grace- 
ful folds,  very  unlike  the  stiff,  immodest  fashion 
prevalent  with  that  garment  in  Java.  She  wears  a 
white  waist,  and  a  pale  yellow  scarf.  Her  masses 
of  black  hair  are  coiled  on  the  top  of  her  head  with 
a  bunch  of  flowers  inserted  just  over  the  ear.  You 
can  easily  see  that  aside  from  a  pair  of  sandals  she 
wears  no  other  clothing.  She  certainly  looks  clean, 
yet,  judging  from  the  many  strange  scenes  con- 
nected with  the  toilet,  which  one  witnesses  in  the 
street,  the  appearance  may  be  deceptive. 

The  costume  of  the  men  is  apparently  exactly  the 
same  as  that  of  the  women  save  for  a  slight  shorten- 
ing of  the  sarong.  There  are  dozens  of  these  gaily 
dressed  individuals  on  the  river  bank,  watching  our 
departure,  and  the  scene  is  a  brilliant  one.  Our 


86    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

route  is  down-stream  and  we  have  taken  passage  on 
a  cargo  boat,  one  of  those  curious  craft  which  supply 
the  river  people  with  all  they  desire,  and  which 
afford  an  opportunity  to  study  Burmese  life  to  ex- 
cellent advantage. 

To  either  side  of  a  paddle  steamer  is  attached  a 
double-decked  barge,  and  thereon  are  to  be  found 
almost  all  the  articles  that  Edgeware  Road  or  Sixth 
Avenue  can  produce,  very  few  native  goods  being 
displayed.  Halts  are  made  at  every  village  and  the 
people  swarm  on  board  by  the  hundreds,  and  great 
is  the  haggling,  noise,  and  confusion.  It  is  curious 
to  watch  the  manner  in  which  this  is  kept  up  over 
every  article  purchased,  until  the  last  warning 
whistle  drives  the  crowds  ashore. 

The  shrewdness  of  the  women  is  observed  to  best 
advantage  upon  these  boats  where  hundreds  of  them 
pass  most  of  their  lives  selling  their  wares.  They 
are  more  than  a  match  for  any  of  the  men-folks,  and 
woe  be  to  the  thief  who  hopes  to  profit  by  the  con- 
fusion. He  will  not  get  far  away  if  he  gets  even  a 
start,  which  is  doubtful. 

It  is  reported  that  foreigners  who  have  formed  re- 
lations with  the  women  of  Burma  have  found  them 
very  faithful  in  all  respects,  but  they  are  vengeful 
and  unforgiving,  and  rumour  hath  it  that  several 
English  brides  who  have  come  out  here  have  been 
done  away  with  through  the  medium  of  powdered 
glass  or  drugs.  An  order  was  lately  issued  to  the 
men  in  the  Civil  Service  that  they  must  end  all  re- 
lations with  these  women,  but  several  preferred  to 
marry  them,  and  did  so.  One  man  living  in  the 
outer  wilderness  could  procure  no  minister  or  magis- 


Burmese  Customs  87 

trate  to  perform  the  ceremony  for  him,  nor  could 
he  obtain  leave  of  absence  in  order  to  go  to  some 
town.  Therefore  being  a  magistrate  himself  he 
promptly  tied  the  knot  between  himself  and  the 
dame.  This  was  held  by  the  local  authorities  to 
be  illegal,  but  he  carried  his  case  to  Parliament, 
and  coming  off  triumphant,  now  lives  in  tropical 
bliss,  with  elephants,  tigers,  and  snakes  as  his  near- 
est neighbours. 

The  natives  are  a  kindly  people  and  their  religion 
teaches  them  to  be  so.  It  is  considered  most  merit- 
orious to  save  animal  life.  One  of  our  passengers, 
having  caught  two  large  catfish  which  no  one  would 
eat,  was  asked  by  a  Burmese  if  they  could  be 
bought,  and  they  were  sold  to  him  for  something 
like  fifty  cents,  their  purchaser  immediately  restor- 
ing them  to  their  native  element.  When  a  poor 
native  will  spend  what  to  him  is  a  large  sum  for 
such  a  purpose  it  means  much. 

On  a  bamboo  raft  close  by,  a  lot  of  boys  are  sport- 
ing and  working,  and  like  boys  of  other  countries 
there  is  more  sport  than  work  on  hand  just  at  pre- 
sent. A  stranger  at  first  glance  will  pay  no  atten- 
tion to  them,  as  there  seems  nothing  worthy  of 
remark,  but  a  second  glance  is  followed  by  a  third, 
and  then  the  field-glass  comes  into  requisition  for  a 
closer  inspection.  The  boys  appear  to  be  naked, 
save  for  a  pair  of  grey  knickerbockers  or  knee- 
breeches,  but  the  knickerbockers  prove  to  be,  in 
reality,  a  mass  of  tattooing. 

In  Japan,  tattooing  is  considered  now  as  an  orna- 
ment, but  with  the  Burmese  boy  it  is  held  to  be 
quite  as  necessary  as  his  monastic  instructions,  and 


88    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

without  it  he  does  not  consider  that  he  has  attained 
full  manhood,  and  one  who  omits  the  operation  is 
looked  upon  as  almost  unsexed  and  altogether  be- 
neath contempt.  Therefore  every  boy  undergoes 
the  painful  operation,  which,  when  completed,  puts 
him  in  possession  of  a  mass  of  dark  blue  traceries 
extending  from  the  waist-line  to  below  the  knee 
cap.  If  you  are  desirous  of  being  so  adorned  the 
artist  will  come  to  you  with  his  tools  and  patterns 
from  which  you  make  a  selection.  The  figures  of 
cats,  tigers,  and  elephants,  and  also  many  mythologi- 
cal designs,  are  used,  and  each  is  surrounded  by  an 
oval  frame  of  tracing,  and  sometimes  by  a  variety  of 
alphabetical  letters.  These  designs  are  artistically 
traced  upon  the  person  and  the  interspaces  filled  by 
a  delicate  lace-like  tracery.  The  waist  and  knee- 
lines  are  distinctly  marked  and  have  the  appearance 
of  girdle  and  garter.  Often  the  most  important 
designs  are  done  in  scarlet,  which  when  the  opera- 
tion is  finished  stand  forth  in  a  startling  fashion 
upon  the  dark  blue  background  of  the  rest  of  the 
work. 

The  operation  is  painful,  and  can  only  be  done  by 
degrees,  opium  being  often  used  upon  the  subject 
to  deaden  the  pain.  The  blue  dye  comes  from 
lampblack  and  never  disappears,  but  the  red  fades 
gradually.  The  "  drug  of  tenderness  is  a  mixture 
of  vermilion  with  a  variety  of  herbs  and  other 
things,  one  of  these  ingredients  being  the  bruised 
and  dried  skin  of  the  spotted  lizard,  the  mascot  of 
the  Burmese  home.  Superstition  states  that  a  tattoo 
of  this  magic  fluid  will  enable  a  youth  to  gain  the 
maiden  of  his  choice,  and  it  is  always  placed  in  a 


TATOOED  BOY. 


Burmese  Customs  89 

small  design  between  the  eyes.  This  is  the  only 
form  of  tattooing  ever  used  by  women,  but  they 
place  it  where  it  cannot  be  seen.  '  Yoe  "  tells  us 
that  in  Rangoon  the  tattooing  of  a  woman  means 
that  she  desires  an  Englishman  for  a  husband,  and 
then  he  adds  "  poor  thing." 

The  legends  and  superstitions  connected  with  this 
tattooing  are  without  number,  running  from  the 
commonplace  to  the  most  weird  and  fantastic. 
The  "  a-kyan  say  "  is  the  most  gruesome  of  the  list, 
and  few  tattooers  "  are  acquainted  with  the  neces- 
sary drugs  and  incantations."  Great  courage  is 
necessary,  and  many  men  have  lost  their  minds 
while  undergoing  the  operation,  and  have  taken  to 
graveyard  wanderings  and  digging  for  human  bones. 
"  Yoe  "  states  that  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  as, 
during  the  operation,  the  tattooers  make  them  chew 
the  raw  flesh  of  a  man  who  has  been  hanged.  The 
charm  seems  to  be  produced  by  the  use  of  singular 
drugs  and  weird  incantations.  The  results  are 
various:  sometimes  a  man  becomes  possessed  of 
marvellous  strength ;  sometimes  he  can  walk  on  the 
water  or  sink  into  the  ground ;  often  he  becomes 
a  dacoit  and  is  restored  to  his  right  mind  only  by 
sacred  drugs  and  by  the  removal  of  the  fatal  figure. 
Many  believe  that  certain  figures  will  prevent  drown- 
ing. This  experiment  was  tried  in  Rangoon,  where 
a  boy  that  had  been  so  tattooed  requested  to  be  tied 
hand  and  foot  and  thrown  into  the  river,  fully  be- 
lieving that  he  would  be  saved  from  the  swift  cur- 
rent. But  the  Irrawaddy,  so  near  its  union  with 
the  ocean,  carried  him  away  forever.  No  such 
tragedy  will  occur  amongst  those  boys  yonder,  for 


90    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

they  cling  tightly  to  the  raft  as  it  rises  and  falls  on 
the  waves  made  by  the  wheels  of  our  departing 
steamboat.  A  bend  in  the  shore  shuts  them  and  the 
gay  crowd  on  the  banks  from  view,  and  Mandalay 
vanishes  from  my  sight. 


CHAPTER  XI 

ANCIENT  PAGAHN 

Pagodas  Crowd  the  Banks  of  the  Irrawaddy — Meaning  of  the  Word 
"Pagoda" — The  "  Kyaik-htee-yoh  " — Its  Fantastic  Position 
and  Legends — Pagahn — A  City  Dead  Seven  Hundred  Years — 
Its  Foundations  —  Destruction  —  Countless  Pagodas  —  Present 
State — The  Anada  Pagoda — The  Majestic  Appearance  of  the 
Buddha — The  Solemn  Expression  of  its  Face  and  the  Meaning 
thereof — "  A  Face  from  out  Nirvana,  where  no  Fear  is  " — Size 
of  the  Anada — Its  Four  Sanctuaries — Pagoda  Slaves,  their 
Service  and  Outcast  Position  —  Tradition  of  their  Origin  — 
Treachery  of  Pagahn's  King — Petty  State  of  the  Slaves — The 
Vision  of  Vanishing  Pagahn — The  Silence  of  the  River. 

MANDALAY  is  the  heart  of  Burma.  On  its 
outskirts  stood  the  old  capital  of  Amarapura, 
to-day  but  a  mass  of  pagodas,  and  as  the  traveller  ap- 
proaches the  point  where  the  river  is  crossed  by  the 
railroad  ferry  the  prospect  becomes  fairly  bewilder- 
ing. On  every  hilltop,  in  every  gully,  in  all  the  val- 
leys, and  down  even  into  the  waters  of  the  river,  stand 
the  sacred  structures,  a  vast  city  of  them.  An  illus- 
tration of  Mandalay,  in  the  London  News  of  Novem- 
ber 26th,  gives  a  view  of  the  "four  hundred  and  fifty 
pagodas  surrounding  the  '  Aracan,'  "  whereas  the 
Aracan  Pagoda,  which  is  the  great  shrine  of  Man- 
dalay, is  some  miles  away  from  the  "  four  hundred 

91 


92    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

and  fifty  "  on  the  other  side  of  the  town.  I  have 
not  described  the  Aracan  for  the  reason  that  it  has 
been  partly  destroyed  by  fire  and  is  in  a  state  of 
great  confusion,  and  because  a  description  of  too 
many  pagodas  becomes  wearisome,  and  we  have  yet 
to  visit  many,  including  that  marvel  of  the  world, 
the  "  Shway  Dagohn  "  at  Rangoon. 

The  word  "  Buddha"  signifies  "  enlightened," 
while  the  word  "pagoda"  means  "relic  shrine,"  and 
should  only  be  used  for  such  buildings  as  contain 
some  relic  of  Buddha.  Here  again  is  a  resemblance 
between  the  treasure  chambers  of  a  pagoda  and  the 
corner-stone  of  a  Christian  church :  the  one  holds  its 
relics  and  jewels,  the  other  its  books  and  records. 

Buddha  left  no  instructions  in  regard  to  pagodas, 
but  desired  that  a  small  mound,  steep  like  a  heap  of 
rice,  should  be  raised  over  his  bones.  The  original 
shrines  which  held  the  relics  were  shaped  like  the 
lotus  bulb,  and  the  present  bell-shaped  structure 
seems  an  elaboration  of  this.  The  Buddha  in  the 
womb  of  Queen  Maia  resembled  a  lotus  bulb. 

A  source  of  great  surprise  to  the  traveller  is  the 
marvellous  and  apparently  inaccessible  position  in 
which  some  of  these  pagodas  are  placed ;  and  quite 
the  most  remarkable  in  this  respect  is  that  of 
"  Kyaik  -  htee  -  yoh  "  in  the  Moulmein  district. 
Upon  the  summit  of  a  hill  thirty-five  hundred  feet 
high,  and  upon  the  very  apex  of  a  balancing  boulder, 
which  in  turn  rests  upon  a  projecting  rock,  is  perched 
this  small  pagoda.  The  chasm  which  separates  the 
peak  from  the  nearest  hill  is  said  to  reach  far  below 
the  surface  of  the  earth.  The  boulder  appears  to 
rock  with  every  passing  wind,  and  one  cannot  but 


Ancient  Pagahn  93 

wonder  why  it  does  not  disappear,  pagoda  and  all, 
into  the  gulf  surrounding  it.  During  the  winter 
months  the  people  come  in  crowds  to  this  shrine, 
and,  after  casting  jewels  and  money  into  the  chasm, 
clamber  up  to  the  rocks  and  decorate  the  pagoda 
with  flowers  and  candles.  The  little  structure  has 
been  there  longer  than  history  can  tell.  Some  give 
its  age  as  more  than  five  thousand  years.  The 
faithful  will  tell  you  that  this  boulder  is  kept  in 
place  by  a  hair  of  the  great  Buddha,  given  to  a 
hermit  by  the  saint  himself  on  "  his  return  from  the 
second  heaven  of  the  '  Nat-dewah's,'  where  he  had 
been  proclaiming  the  law  to  his  mother."  Near 
this  pagoda  is  a  spring,  which  ceases  to  flow  if  evil 
talk  is  indulged  in,  or  if  the  sexes  are  not  separated. 

The  shrines  and  pagodas  of  the  Irrawaddy  multi- 
ply more  and  more  as  we  proceed  southward,  until  it 
is  almost  impossible  to  believe  that  no  life  exists 
amidst  what  appears  to  be  a  vast  city.  But,  listen 
as  you  will,  the  silence  is  unbroken  save  by  the 
splash  of  the  boat's  paddles  and  the  murmur  of 
the  river.  The  scene  is  dreamlike,  and  the  heart 
of  dreamland  is  reached  as  we  near  the  long-dead 
city  of  Pagahn. 

The  ancient  name  of  Burma  was  "  Mien  "  and 
Pagahn  was  its  capital.  Marco  Polo  was  dead  in 
!325»  y£t  what  he  describes  of  the  city  was  very 
ancient  at  that  period.  It  was  in  the  year  of  Christ 
1272  that  the  army  of  the  Great  Khan  came  down 
upon  Pagahn,  and  the  Prince  of  "  Mien  "  went 
forth  to  give  him  battle.  In  the  midst  of  the  latter's 
army  stalked  two  thousand  elephants,  each  carrying 
its  tower  of  timbers.  There  were  sixteen  armed 


94    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

warriors  in  every  tower.  Of  horsemen  and  foot- 
soldiers  there  were  sixty  thousand.  With  this 
mighty  host  he  moved  forward  to  where  the  captain 
of  the  Tartar  army  awaited  him.  But  the  "  battle 
is  not  to  the  strong  alone. ' '  The  forces  of  the  Khan 
amounted  to  but  twelve  thousand  well-mounted 
men.  At  first,  their  horses  took  such  fright  at  the 
sight  of  the  elephants  and  their  wonderful  burdens 
that  the  riders  could  not  control  them,  and  they 
turned  and  fled,  but  the  commander  ordered  his 
men  to  dismount  and  tie  the  animals  to  trees.  The 
riders  were  thus  enabled  to  use  their  bows  and 
arrows  to  such  good  effect  that  the  elephants  of  the 
pagan  host,  maddened  by  the  shafts,  fled  in  the 
wildest  terror,  trampling  hundreds  of  that  army  to 
death,  and  sweeping  off  the  towers  on  their  own 
backs  against  the  trees.  So  great  was  the  press  of 
fleeing  men  and  beasts  that  numbers  of  the  former 
were  suffocated,  and  the  din  of  battle  was  as  the 
thunder.  The  rout  was  complete  and  the  conqueror 
swept  on  towards  Pagahn. 

The  vision  presented  by  the  capital  was  wonderful 
to  their  eyes.  From  the  midst  of  the  vast  city, 
with  its  countless  houses,  endless  avenues  of  shrines, 
stately  temples,  and  majestic  statues  of  Buddha, 
rose  two  vast  towers,  which  Marco  Polo  describes  as 
being,  "  the  one  of  gold,  the  other  of  silver,  the 
precious  metals  being  laid  upon  the  stone,  of  which 
the  towers  were  built,  to  the  depth  of  a  finger." 
Each  tower  was  "  ten  paces  in  height,  and  of  breadth 
in  proportion,"  the  upper  parts  were  "  round,  and 
girt  with  gold  and  silver  bells,  which  tinkled  as  the 
wind  blew. ' '  There  was  a  tomb  between  the  towers 


Ancient  Pagahn  95 

plated  with  gold  and  silver.  These  towers  and  the 
tomb  were  erected  by  a  former  king  to  commemo- 
rate his  own  magnificence  and  for  the  good  of  his 
soul.  "  They  form  one  of  the  sights  of  the  world, 
and  shine  forth  resplendent,  as  the  sun's  rays  strike 
them."  The  tales  of  all  their  glory  being  carried 
to  the  court  of  the  Great  Khan,  he  commanded  that 
they  be  left  untouched,  as  "  no  Tartar  will  lay  hands 
on  anything  appertaining  to  the  dead."  History  is 
silent  as  to  when  they  were  finally  destroyed,  or  by 
whom.  Probably  the  hand  of  unmolested  time  has 
been  the  culprit,  but  we  may  behold  the  equal  of 
either,  if  not  their  superior,  in  the  Great  Pagoda  of 
Rangoon. 

It  is  seven  hundred  years  since  Pagahn  ceased  to 
live.  Very  long  and  valiant  was  its  defence.  Six 
thousand  temples  were  pulled  down  to  build  its 
forts,  but  without  avail.  The  city  fell  and  remains 
a  ruin,  silent  and  deserted  to  this  day.  The  found- 
ation of  Pagahn  is  placed  by  some  as  long  ago  as 
A.D.  52,  when  the  people  from  Prome,  far  down  the 
river,  came  and  settled  here,  and  the  religion  of 
Buddha  lived  and  flourished.  Pagahn  was  the 
centre  of  the  busy  life  of  ancient  Burma  until  the 
day  when  the  hordes  of  China  descended  the  river 
and  swept  it  out  of  existence. 

Travellers  to-day  will  land  at  a  small  place  up  the 
river,  and  must  be  prepared  to  take  care  of  them- 
selves, for  strangers  are  not  provided  for  in  any  way 
in  this  city  of  the  dead,  which  stretches  eight  miles 
along  the  river,  and  four  miles  inland.  Save  for  the 
few  wretched  huts  of  the  people  who  care  for  the 
more  sacred  shrines,  there  is  no  sign  of  life  amid  all 


96    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

this  chaos  and  ruin.  An  ancient  gateway  receives 
us  in  melancholy  fashion ;  there  are  no  guards,  no 
banners,  no  sound  save  the  slight  rustle  of  a  snake 
disturbed  in  its  noonday  slumbers.  Passing  onward, 
the  appalling  desolation  of  the  old  city  comes  fully 
into  view,  as  avenue  after  avenue  stretches  away  on 
either  side,  and  the  long  vista  in  front  shows  nothing 
save  ruins.  The  hand  of  the  passing  centuries  has 
fallen  heavily  upon  Pagahn,  sparing  nothing  save  a 
few  temples  that  the  pious  have  kept  in  repair, 
and  foremost  among  these  is  the  great  shrine,  the 
Anada  Pagoda,  which  rises  more  like  a  Christian 
cathedral  than  a  Buddhist  temple. 

Two  gigantic  leogryphs  guard  the  approach  to  the 
arched  entrance,  and  one  passes  under  the  solemn 
arches  and  through  the  welcome  shadows  of  the  old 
temple,  and,  in  passing,  notes  the  many  cross  walks 
and  intersecting  courts,  but  is  attracted  to  the  centre 
of  the  structure,  where,  by  some  arrangements  of 
the  lights  from  far  above,  the  great  god  stands  forth 
and  seems  to  beckon  the  pilgrim  even  as  he  enters 
the  first  portal ;  as  he  approaches  the  sanctuary  he 
will  fall  upon  his  knees  if  he  be  of  the  faith,  and  if 
a  Christian,  his  hat  will  come  off  his  head  in  very 
reverence  for  this  majesty  before  him.  All  is  in 
shadow,  save  the  Buddha  himself,  upon  whom  de- 
scends the  glory  of  light. 

Unlike  most  other  statues  of  the  god,  this  is 
standing  and  is  some  forty  feet  in  height.  One 
hand  is  extended  as  though  in  invitation  or  bene- 
diction ;  the  face  is  solemn,  grave,  and  peaceful,  a 
face  from  out  Nirvana,  where  no  fear  is  entertained 
of  further  weary  and  endless  reincarnations,  while 


Ancient  Pagahn  97 

upon  it  rests  the  calm,  eternal,  sleep-like  smile. 
Here  one  seems  to  understand  the  expression  of  all 
those  faces  which  have  puzzled  one  for  so  long.  It 
means  the  attainment  of  Nirvana,  the  end  of  the 
cycles  of  transincorporation  of  souls,  the  death  of  all 
human  passions  and  feeling;  means  that  the  hopes 
and  fears  of  life  no  longer  have  part  or  place ;  means 
peace,  after  all.  Is  not  that  a  more  correct  or  ac- 
ceptable idea  than  many  that  are  set  forth  in  our 
churches,  which  give  no  idea  of  rest  or  peace  ?  and 
what  can  heaven  be  without  those  attributes  ? 

The  solemn  silence  that  hangs  over  this  spot,  the 
absence  of  human  life  and  sound,  adds  wonderfully 
to  the  impressiveness  of  this  great  shrine  of  Pagahn, 
and  it  is  with  difficulty  that  one  can  turn  from  it 
for  a  closer  inspection  of  the  temple  itself.  The 
Anada,  nearly  three  hundred  feet  in  length  and 
breadth,  is  in  plan  a  large  square  with  four  project- 
ing sections,  and  the  whole,  save  at  the  very  centre, 
is  intersected  by  numerous  corridors  and  passages 
which  cross  each  other  at  right  angles.  There  are 
four  main  entrances  which  proceed  straight  to  four 
shrines,  situated  on  each  side  of  the  inner  square. 
This  square  is  nearly  a  solid  block,  supporting  the 
great  spire  or  dome,  and  the  sanctuaries  are  niches 
in  each  side,  wherein  stands  in  each  one  a  colossal 
statue  such  as  I  have  described.  They  are  of  the 
four  great  Buddhas  of  this  world  cycle.  In  the  east 
"  Kauk-Kathan,"  the  first  lawgiver,  made  of  the 
dan-ta-goo  tree;  "  Gawnagohng  "  in  the  southern 
chamber  is  of  jasmine  wood ;  Kathapa  in  the 
western  niche  is  of  brass;  while  the  Gautama 
Buddha  in  the  northern  is  of  fir,  and  is  the  one  I 

7 


98    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

have  described.  They  have  all  been  covered  with 
plaster,  and  all  are  gilded,  but  their  age  is  unknown, 
though  it  is  very  great. 

There  are  other  sacred  shrines  in  Pagahn,  but  the 
one  of  Anada  is  the  most  sacred  and  the  most  in- 
teresting, so  I  shall  not  describe  any  of  the  others. 

But  let  us  mount  and  gaze  outward  on  the  city 
itself.  What  a  picture  of  silence,  desolation,  and 
decay!  What  a  mass  of  ruins  the  9999  pagodas 
present!  Verily  it  was  a  sacred  city,  for,  to-day, 
save  a  fragment  of  the  fort,  a  gate,  and  a  bit  of 
wall,  nothing  remains  except  these  sacred  structures, 
the  number  of  which  in  Pagahn,  even  in  her  ruin, 
makes  the  eye  tired,  the  brain  weary,  and  the  heart 
sad. 

These  Buddhists  lay  no  claim  for  a  divine  origin 
for  Buddha.  They  praise  and  strive  to  emulate  him 
as  a  perfect  man,  but  as  a  man,  not  a  god,  and  as 
one  that  has  ceased  to  exist,  and  possesses  now  no 
power  of  any  sort.  The  idolatry  among  them  is 
only  with  the  very  ignorant.  The  images  of  Buddha 
simply  represent  an  idea.  But  one  can  easily  under- 
stand how  these  simple-minded  people  can  actually 
bow  down  and  worship  yonder  stately  Buddha, 
whose  majestic,  awe-inspiring  face  is  even  now 
illumined  with  the  glory  of  the  sun. 

A  remarkable  statue  of  Buddha  is  to  be  found  in 
a  pagoda  near  the  foot  of  Mandalay  Hill — remark- 
able from  its  size,  and  because  it  is  a  monolith.  It 
is  in  the  usual  sitting  posture  and  is  twenty-five  feet 
high,  and  of  course  its  weight  is  enormous.  In  the 
olden  days  a  great  ruby  gleamed  from  its  marble 
forehead.  In  the  large  enclosure  around  it  are  rows 


Ancient  Pagahn  99 

4 

of  small  shrines,  each  holding  its  sitting  Buddha  and 
all  facing  the  central  shrine.  If  the  Buddha  is  made 
of  brass,  the  casting  of  the  figure  is  the  occasion  of 
a  great  festival.  When  completed  it  is  carried  in 
procession,  attended  by  music  and  dancing,  to  the 
shrine  prepared  for  its  reception.  The  highest  in 
the  land  assist  at  these  functions  and  consider  them- 
selves honoured  in  so  doing;  but  if  honoured  at 
their  creation,  little  reverence  is  shown  to-day,  save 
with  few  exceptions,  to  the  thousands  of  sad-eyed 
Buddhas  that  gaze  outward  from  the  ruined  fanes  of 
Pagahn. 

Before  the  British  took  possession  of  Burma  each 
pagoda  had  its  slaves, — those  who  kept  it  clean, — 
and  they  were  slaves  in  every  sense  of  the  word. 
No  human  power  could  free  them,  and  throughout 
all  time  they  and  their  descendants  must  so  remain 
until  the  cycle  of  Gautama's  religion  shall  have 
passed  away.  They  were  outcasts  and  despised  by 
all,  nor  could  they  be  employed  in  any  other  ca- 
pacity than  the  one  mentioned.  Upon  being  freed 
they  were  obliged  to  disguise  their  identity  and 
hide  their  past  before  any  work  could  be  procured. 
Why  it  should  be  so  has  not  been  explained.  This 
service  was  not  disgusting,  nor  any  more  degrading 
than  that  of  a  sexton  in  England,  yet  they  were  out- 
casts like  the  mummifiers  in  Egypt,  and  disputed 
their  food  with  the  pariah  dogs  and  crows,  quarrel- 
ling and  fighting  over  the  rice  offered  up  at  the 
shrine.  The  vendors  of  flowers  and  candles  are  all 
of  this  class.  Here  in  Pagahn  they  are  thicker  than 
elsewhere  and  assume  a  royal  dignity  like  the  beg- 
gars in  "  Notre  Dame."  They  have  a  king,  who 


ioo    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

goes  forth  under  a  golden  umbrella,  but  from  whom 
the  lowest  in  Burma  would  shrink  with  loathing. 

Tradition  states  that  this  strange  sect  had  its 
origin  centuries  ago  when  a  king  of  Pagahn,  suspect- 
ing the  loyalty  of  a  tributary  sovereign,  "  invited 
him  to  the  great  and  noble  city  with  its  towers  of 
gold  and  silver,  of  which  Marco  Polo  writes. "  The 
monarch  came  without  fear  and  but  scantily  at- 
tended. Then,  during  a  great  feast,  when  all  were 
assembled  at  the  pagoda  of  Shway-zee-gohn,  he  was 
seized  by  the  hair  and  a  sword  waved  over  his  head, 
thus  dedicating  him  and  all  his  followers  and  their 
descendants  throughout  all  time  to  the  service  of  the 
great  shrine.  Hence  this  petty  state  before  us,  all 
the  semblance  of  royal  life  in  Pagahn  to-day.  Why 
they  continue  to  exist  is  a  marvel,  but  they  do,  and 
increase  and  multiply,  marrying  amongst  themselves. 

The  Irrawaddy  widens  into  a  lake  below  Pagahn, 
and  as  we  pass  to  the  lower -bank  the  ancient  city 
takes  on  an  unearthly  beauty.  Towers  and  temples 
are  once  more  of  gold  and  silver.  White  pagodas, 
forts,  walls,  minarets,  and  palm  trees  float  mirage- 
like,  until  one  wonders  if  that  is  not  the  vision  which 
has  tormented  so  many  weary  pilgrims  in  far-off 
deserts.  Now  it  is  illumined  with  a  pale  pink  glow, 
and,  like  the  city  of  Aladdin,  has  separated  from 
the  earth  and  is  floating  outward  and  upward  until  it 
gradually  fades  and  fades  and  disappears,  leaving 
nothing  save  the  lake-like  glimmering  river  below, 
while  above  one  great  sparkling  planet  hangs  in  the 
high  heavens  against  the  dark  blue  sky  into  which 
Pagahn  has  vanished  forever.  Then  the  murmuring 
river  carries  us  onward  into  the  silence  of  the  night. 


CHAPTER  XII 

RANGOON 

The  "  Shway  Dagohn  Payah" — First  Appearance  from  the  Sea — Its 
Fascination  for  the  Traveller — Its  Age  and  Unaltered  State — 
Regilding  and  the  Cost — The  Sacred  Stairs  and  the  Dwellers 
thereon — The  Marvellous  Appearance  of  the  Great  Platform — 
Majestic  Appearance  of  the  Great  Pagoda — Its  Jewelled  Um- 
brella and  Golden  Bells — Lilies  and  Lotus — The  Legend  of  the 
Scarlet  Canna — Last  Appearance  of  the  Sacred  Stairs  and 
Grinning  Leogryphs. 

ON  the  last  spur  of  the  Pegu  Hills,  advancing 
far  out  into  the  valley  of  Rangoon,  stands  the 
"  Shway  Dagohn  Payah,"  the  most  sacred  and  most 
remarkable  shrine  in  all  the  Buddhist  world — sacred 
because  it  is  the  only  "  Payah  "  known  to  the  Bud- 
dhists which  contains  not  only  the  sacred  hair  of  Shin 
Gautama,  but  relics  (a  drinking-cup,  a  robe,  and  a 
staff)  of  the  three  Buddhas  who  preceded  him. 
Therefore  to  this  spot  come  countless  pilgrims  from 
every  quarter  of  the  world  to  which  this  faith  has 
penetrated.  The  hill  upon  which  the  structure 
stands  has  been  cut  into  two  rectangular  terraces 
which  rise  to  a  height  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-six 
feet  above  the  level  of  Rangoon,  the  upper  terraces 
forming  a  square  seven  hundred  by  nine  hundred 
feet,  and  from  this  for  three  hundred  and  seventy 

101 


102    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

feet  soars  the  great  golden  bell,  so  that  its  summit 
reaches  a  height,  above  the  city,  almost  equal  to 
that  of  the  Washington  Monument. 

To  the  traveller  approaching  from  the  sea  the 
pagoda  is  a  vision  of  dazzling  brilliancy  and  is 
visible  long  before  the  low-lying  shores  and  distant 
mountains  have  evolved  themselves  from  the  waste 
of  waters.  If  the  approach  is  in  the  early  morning 
when  the  sun  has  not  yet  risen  his  eyes  will  gaze 
into  a  misty  void,  grey  and  colourless,  but  with  the 
first  rays  of  approaching  light  a  vision  as  of  some- 
thing celestial  will  be  sharply  silhouetted  against 
the  darkness,  something  which  has  fallen  from  the 
walls  of  heaven,  and  now  floats  a  golden  glory  for 
the  delight  and  astonishment  of  man.  As  the  light 
increases  this  brilliancy  becomes  almost  too  dazzling 
for  mortals  to  gaze  upon.  Finally  the  mists  grow 
thinner  and  thinner,  and  then  sail  away,  leaving  the 
structure  resting  upon  a  mound  of  delicate  green 
that  rolls  downward  and  away  across  the  valley 
where  stands  the  city  of  Rangoon,  and  where  the 
Irrawaddy  forces  its  way  to  the  ocean. 

The  traveller  will  find  that  the  fascination  of  this 
first  glimpse  has  been  so  great,  and  has  so  aroused 
his  curiosity,  that  he  will  pass  the  city  by  unnoticed 
and  press  onward  eagerly  for  a  closer  inspection  of 
the  shrine.  Of  its  age  there  is  no  authentic  record. 
Buddhists  place  the  date  of  its  erection  588  B.C., 
but "  Yoe  "  thinks  the  site  must  have  been  sacred  for 
cycles  before  that,  as  the  relics  of  the  three  preced- 
ing Buddhas  were  found  interred  on  the  spot ;  at 
least  we  have  the  certainty  that  we  see  it  now  sub- 
stantially as  it  stood  five  hundred  years  before  our 


ENTRANCE  TO  SHWAY  DAQOHN   PA&ODA,  RANGOON. 


Rangoon  103 

religion  came  into  existence.  It  is  so  sacred  that  it 
is  kept  in  perfect  condition,  and  twice  within  the 
last  century  it  has  been  completely  regilded.  Sin- 
byoo  Shin,  a  king  who  lived  one  hundred  years  ago, 
spent  ,£9000  in  the  work,  and  this  was  repeated  by 
King  Mindohn  in  1871. 

As  the  traveller  approaches  the  hill  he  will  be 
confronted  by  two  colossal  leogryphs  in  stone  and 
plaster,  strangely  grinning  beasts  that  guard  nearly 
all  these  great  pagodas.  There  is  a  legend  con- 
nected with  these  grotesque  figures,  a  pathetic  and 
touching  story,  which  goes  to  show  that  in  all  re- 
ligions, amidst  all  peoples,  a  mother  and  a  mother's 
love  are  reverenced  as  scarcely  less  than  divine. 

These  leogryphs  represent  a  lion  which  in  the 
old  days,  rescued  and  suckled  a  king's  son  who  had 
been  abandoned.  Upon  reaching  manhood  he  fled 
from  his  strange  mother  and  swam  a  river  to  escape 
her.  Upon  his  desertion  her  heart  broke  and  she 
died,  and  so  in  memory  of  her  devotion  and  love 
these  figures  guard  the  entrance  to  all  that  is  most 
holy  amongst  the  Buddhists. 

Behind  the  leogryphs  rises  an  elaborate  arch  in 
stone,  the  entrance  to  a  holy  staircase  leading  direct 
to  the  great  platform  of  the  pagoda,  far  above  on 
its  terrace.  This  staircase,  covered  its  entire  length 
by  an  arching  roof,  is  ornamented  every  here  and 
there  with  carvings  which  would  do  justice  to  Gib- 
bons. Its  shallow  steps  force  one  to  ascend  slowly, 
and  they  are  so  slippery  that  one  is  tempted  for 
safety's  sake  to  assume  the  devotional  attitude  in- 
cumbent upon  the  devotees  at  the  "  Scala  Santa  " 
in  Rome. 


104    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

On  either  side  the  people  display  their  wares, 
which  are  mostly  such  as  may  be  offered  up  at  some 
shrine  in  the  temple.  Each  sets  forth  the  caste  and 
nationality  of  the  owner.  Here  are  Chinese  toys 
and  coloured  tapers  of  strange  shapes. 

Each  day  has  an  animal  as  a  symbol,  and  these 
red  and  yellow  wax  candles  are  modelled  thereafter, 
and  then  offered  at  the  shrines.  Monday  has  a 
tiger,  Tuesday  a  lion,  Wednesday  an  elephant, 
Thursday  a  rat,  Friday  a  guinea-pig,  Saturday  a 
dragon,  and  Sunday  a  half-beast,  half-bird,  which 
is  supposed  to  guard  the  centre  of  the  universe. 
Yonder  is  the  silk  of  the  Burmese,  and  everywhere 
are  paper  banners.  But  most  of  all  one  sees  those 
yellow  and  red  lilies  so  loved  of  the  Buddha,  and 
there  are  also  great  trays  of  purple  and  pink  lotus 
blossoms. 

As  the  summit  is  reached,  and  one  steps  on  to  the 
great  platform  of  the  pagoda,  one  must  be  dumb  in- 
deed not  to  be  struck  with  amazement  at  the  sight 
presented.  Imagine  a  vast  enclosure,  adorned  by 
stately  trees,  and  surrounded  by  a  wall,  breast  high, 
beyond  which  one  catches  glimpses  of  misty  plains, 
distant  mountains,  and  sparkling  ocean.  Countless 
shrines  of  all  sizes  and  descriptions  stand  in  regular 
aisles  around  the  enclosure.  Under  the  canopy  of 
each  sits  a  figure  of  Buddha,  and  sometimes  a  whole 
court  of  Buddhas,  some  of  gold,  many  of  stone,  old 
and  grey,  while  others  are  of  carved  wood.  Each 
and  all,  however,  keep  their  distance,  allowing  a 
broad  sweep  of  empty  promenade  between  their 
lesser  splendour  and  the  glory  of  the  great  pagoda, 
which  from  the  centre  of  the  plaza  soars  high  aloft, 


THE  "SHWAY  DAQOHN,"   RANGOON. 


Rangoon  105 

higher  than  the  dome  of  St.  Paul's,  a  mass  of  glitter- 
ing gold,  made  more  brilliant,  more  magnificent,  by 
the  light  of  the  setting  sun.  Its  base  is  a  square 
with  receding  terraces,  while  its  graceful  bell-shaped 
lines  ascend  until  they  terminate  in  a  sacred  "  T," 
or  umbrella,  whose  surface  is  encrusted  with  jewels, 
and  from  whose  lace-like  fringe  many  tinkling  bells 
send  down  sweet  music  with  each  passing  breeze. 

In  the  centre  of  each  side  of  the  base  of  the 
pagoda  stands  an  elaborate  pavilion  of  teak-wood, 
its  columns  encrusted  with  coloured  glass,  while 
every  gable,  angle,  and  corner  is  rich  with  deli- 
cate wood-carvings,  black  with  age.  The  usual 
flaring  dragons'  tails  deck  the  summit  of  the  re- 
ceding stories  of  these  pavilions,  and  under  them 
sit  the  most  sacred  Buddhas,  before  which  crouch 
murmuring  groups  of  priests,  robed  in  yellow. 
Countless  tapers  gleam  in  the  inner  shadows,  yellow 
and  red  flowers  are  cast  broadcast  at  the  feet  of  the 
saint,  and  the  faint  scent  of  the  lotus  pervades  the 
air.  Around  the  first  terrace  of  the  great  pagoda 
are  rows  of  squatting  stone  elephants,  and  vases 
used  to  receive  the  offerings  of  the  people,  while  on 
the  top  of  this  terrace  stands  a  row  of  small  pago- 
das, but  above  them  nothing  mars  the  upward- 
sweeping  lines  of  the  great  structure,  glistening 
against  a  fair  blue  sky. 

The  effect  is  most  majestic  and  imposing.  It  is 
said  that  the  jewels  flashing  on  the  umbrella  repre- 
sent a  sum  of  ;£  50,000  sterling,  all  voluntary  sub- 
scriptions from  these  simple-looking  people,  headed 
by  their  king.  Many  of  the  smaller  pagodas  are 
the  same  shape  as  the  great  one,  many  are  Chinese 


io6    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

in  design,  but  each  and  all  keep  their  distance  from 
the  central  structure,  and  all  the  worshippers  in  all 
the  shrines  face  its  glittering  surface. 

In  one  pagoda  near  me  kneels  a  picturesque  group 
of  priests,  clothed  in  yellow  silk,  and  holding  aloft 
bunches  of  red  and  yellow  lilies,  while  they  keep  up 
a  monotonous  chant  to  the  music  of  a  sweet-sound- 
ing gong.  Here  and  there  stand  tall  poles  which 
bear  on  high  winged  figures,  and  whose  bases  are 
guarded  by  grotesque  figures  of  men  and  animals. 

One  of  the  side  temples  holds  no  less  than  seven- 
teen figures  of  Buddha,  some  colossal,  some  small, 
all  seated  in  the  unvarying  fashion  always  found  in 
Burma — cross-legged,  with  the  soles  of  the  feet 
turned  upward,  the  palm  of  one  hand  in  a  like  posi- 
tion, while  the  other  hand  hangs  over  the  knee. 
The  garments  of  the  figures  are  gilded,  but  the  flesh 
is  white,  and  each  wears  a  sacred  cap. 

In  the  centre  of  this  shrine,  under  a  glass  case,  is 
a  life-size,  reclining  figure  in  alabaster  of  Buddha 
in  the  position  in  which  he  died.  It  is  adorned  with 
many  fine  gems  in  cap  and  girdle,  and  rests  on  a 
golden  couch,  while  before  it  quantities  of  lilies  and 
purple  lotus  have  been  scattered  by  the  faithful. 

But  the  favourite  flower  is  the  scarlet  canna,  so 
common  at  home,  which  these  people  believe  to 
have  sprung  from  the  blood  of  Buddha  when  his 
brother-in-law  attempted  to  destroy  him  by  means 
of  a  huge  rolling  stone.  The  boulder  burst,  and  a 
fragment  only  touched  the  toe  of  Shin  Gautama, 
drawing  a  few  drops  of  blood,  from  whence  sprang 
the  scarlet  flower. 

This  great  shrine  at  Rangoon  is  not  the  work  of  a 


Rangoon  107 

day,  but,  as  each  month  passes,  some  pagoda  is 
added,  and  this  will  be  done  until  there  is  room  for 
no  more — a  date  not  far  distant. 

But  the  shadows  lengthen  and  the  faithful  have 
departed,  leaving  me  alone  but  for  the  yellow-robed 
figure  of  one  priest  boy,  who  kneels  close  by  me, 
holding  between  his  clasped  hands  a  crimson  lily, 
while  his  murmured  incantations  mingle  with  the 
music  of  countless  wind-swept  bells. 

The  holy  staircase  is  deep  in  shadows,  save  where 
the  sunlight  illumines  the  dying  flowers.  I  pass 
downward  over  heaps  of  the  lotus,  and  my  hands 
are  crimson  from  the  lilies  which  I  gather.  There 
is  no  soul  visible  in  all  the  darkening  vista  but  some 
few  blind  beggars  whose  sun  set  long  ago.  How 
pure  Buddha  intended  his  faith  to  be!  How  far 
from  pure  it  is  to-day!  How  are  his  people  fallen! 
The  leogryphs  at  the  entrance  of  his  greatest  shrine 
seem  to  smile  at  the  sarcasm  of  destiny  as  the  sun 
goes  down. 


CHAPTER  XIII 

EN   ROUTE   TO   MANILA 

Departure  from  Rangoon — News  of  the  German  Emperor — French, 
Germans,  and  English  in  the  East — Feelings  of  an  American  on 
their  Ships — Actions  of  the  Germans  there — Their  Relations  to 
America  and  their  Sympathy  for  Spain — German  Designs  on 
Manila — General  Lack  of  a  Proper  Understanding  as  to  the 
Cause  of  our  "  Little  War" — Spain's  Refusal  to  Clean  Havana 
— Position  of  our  Government  as  Regards  the  Maine — The 
Cubans  and  Mexicans — Effect  of  our  "  Little  War" — Union  of 
our  People — Position  of  England — Intelligent  Understanding 
of  our  "Jingoes  " — Our  Histories — Our  Congressmen — Wars  of 
a  Century  ago  Relegated  to  their  Niche  in  History — Salute  of 
our  Flag  at  Manila  by  the  English. 

AS  we  leave  Burma  word  comes  that  the  German 
Emperor  has  had  a  broad  smooth  road  made 
for  him  to  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane.  If  I  remem- 
ber aright,  both  His  Royal  Highness  the  Prince  of 
Wales  and  General  Grant  were  ushered  into  Jerusa- 
lem by  bands  of  music,  but,  of  all  places  on  earth, 
should  not  that  old  Judaean  fortress,  that  shrine  and 
that  tomb,  be  the  spots  where  all  remembrance  of 
human  greatness  should  shrink  away  and  be  as  no- 
thing ?  Surely  to  have  a  smooth  road  made  for  any 
mortal  to  the  Garden  of  Gethsemane  is  almost  a 
sacrilege — -to  that  spot,  of  all  others,  let  mortal  man 

108 


ENSHRINED  QAUTAMAS  SURROUNDING  THE  SHWAY  DAGOHN  PAGODA,   RANGOON. 


En  Route  to  Manila  109 

approach  on  bended  knee,  and  in  the  silence  of  the 
night,  for  those  old,  gnarled  olive  trees  that  wit- 
nessed the  Passion  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth  are  full  of 
His  presence  to  this  day,  and  the  heart  must  be  hard 
indeed  that  does  not  desire  to  "  go  apart  and  pray 
yet  a  little  while." 

News  comes  also  of  the  fall  of  Khartoum  and  the 
avenging  of  Gordon.  Again  the  nineteenth  century 
has  triumphed  over  the  eighth,  and  with  the  passing 
of  the  power  of  Spain  and  that  of  the  Mahdi,  the 
Dark  Ages  recede  more  and  more  into  the  back- 
ground of  history. 

The  face  of  the  Sirdar  is  strong  and  most  interest- 
ing to  contemplate.  He  has  written  a  page  of  the 
world's  story.  This  conflict  in  the  Soudan  will  be 
followed  by  the  building  of  the  railroad  from  the 
Cape  to  Cairo,  and  where  the  railway  enters  progress 
and  civilisation  attain  a  sure  footing.  The  fall  of 
Khartoum  and  the  fall  of  Manila  will  afford  the 
world  an  opportunity  of  passing  sentence  upon  the 
difference  in  the  recognition  of  service  accorded  by 
a  monarchy  and  a  republic. 

In  this  journey  toward  Manila  we  have  travelled 
on  German,  French,  and  English  ships.  The 
Frenchmen  have  always  been  courteous  and  polite. 
If  they  object,  which  should  not  surprise  us,  to  our 
conquest  over  their  cousins  of  the  Latin  race  they 
do  not  show  it,  yet  they  have  vast  commercial  con- 
nections and  strong  blood  ties  with  Spain,  and  they 
are  of  the  same  religion.  The  same  holds  true  with 
Italy  and  Austria.  We  have  felt  at  home  on  the 
English  ships — no  more  need  be  said.  But  on  the 
German  ships  and  with  the  German  merchants,  from 


no    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

first  to  last,  there  has  been  an  aggressive,  hostile 
feeling — and  why  ?  Certainly  nothing  in  the  past 
century  has  more  surprised  and  wounded  the  feel- 
ings of  America  than  the  knowledge  of  this  feeling. 
Our  sympathies  were  strongly  with  Germany  in  the 
Franco-Prussian  war.  That  nation  has  the  closest 
blood  ties  with  quite  one-third  of  our  millions  of 
people;  her  trade  interests  with  us  are  enormous; 
her  freedom  of  religion  is  the  same ;  and  she  claims  to 
have  all  the  advanced  ideas,  manners,  and  customs 
of  the  Anglo-Saxon.  Yet  out  here  she  has  shown 
and  is  still  showing  the  strongest  sympathy  with 
the  old  rotten  monarchy  of  Spain,  a  nation  with 
whose  people  she  holds  not  one  thing  in  common. 
The  Germans  may  deny  that  they  have  any  "  hos- 
tile feeling"  against  us,  yet  the  fact  remains  that 
wherever  they  are  met  with  on  this  side  of  the 
world  they  are  most  bitter.  (I  regret  to  make  this 
statement,  as  my  blood  is  strongly  German.)  After 
giving  utterance  to  such  bitterness,  they  will  turn 
and  recount  incidents  of  Spanish  vileness,  dirt,  filth, 
robbery,  outrage,  and  murder,  and,  when  asked 
how  they  can  have  any  sympathy  with  such  a 
people,  they  cannot  answer. 

It  is  impossible  to  believe  that  any  German,  from 
the  Emperor  down,  can  really  desire  to  alienate  his 
nation  from  America,  but  these  actions  in  the  East 
have  certainly  done  the  Fatherland  an  injury,  for  I 
believe  that  the  millions  of  Germans  in  America — 
the  land  that  has  received  and  protected  them  and 
their  families,  where  they  have  made  their  fortunes 
and  held  their  homes  in  perfect  peace  and  freedom — 
would  side  with  the  land  of  their  adoption  in  case 


WOOD  CARVINGS,   SHWAY  DAGOHN    PAGODA,    RANGOON. 


En  Route  to  Manila  in 

of  real  trouble.  That  the  Germans  care  for  Span- 
iards as  Spaniards  one  cannot  for  an  instant  imagine, 
but  that  they  wanted  those  islands  for  themselves 
would  appear  to  be  beyond  a  doubt.  Whether  they 
intended  to  appropriate  or  buy  them  from  worn-out, 
bankrupt  Spain  they  alone  know,  but  they  fully 
intended  to  obtain  them.  How  great  was  their 
rage,  therefore,  to  have  the  entire  plan  thwarted  by 
America  in  one  single  May  morning!  Had  Admiral 
Von  Diederichs  succeeded  in  his  attempt  at  that 
time,  his  Government  would  not  have  disowned  his 
actions.  "  Nothing  succeeds  like  success!  " 

There  seems  to  be  a  strange  lack  of  knowledge 
even  among  some  of  the  English  out  here  as  to  the 
true  cause  of  our  late  war.  They  appear  to  know 
of  none  save  the  destruction  of  the  Maine.  All  the 
years  of  irritation  since  the  Virginius  affair  one 
would  judge  are  forgotten.  The  constant  petty  in- 
sults, the  awful  loss  of  life  by  yellow  fever  year  after 
year  through  the  existence  of  that  cesspool — 'Havana 
— just  at  our  door,  the  millions  of  money  spent  in 
quarantine  because  Spain  refused  to  take  any  sani- 
tary measures  whereby  thousands  of  lives  in  our  land 
might  have  been  saved, *  the  horrible  murders,  rob- 
beries, and  outrages  in  these  islands,  not  only  upon 
the  Cubans,  but  upon  many  of  our  own  people — all 
seem  forgotten,  only  the  wholesale  slaughter  of  our 
men  on  the  Maine  being  remembered.  It  is  not  to 
be  supposed  that  the  Spanish  Government  was 
directly  concerned  in  that  destruction,  but  she  knew 
the  dangers  of  the  buoy  at  which  she.  deliberately 
placed  our  ship, — an  action  which  was  thoroughly 

*  Under  our  rule  July  1st  finds  no  yellow  fever  in  Havana. 


ii2    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

Spanish, — therefore  she  was  in  every  way  responsible 
for  what  occurred.  She  had  nothing  to  gain  by  the 
destruction  of  the  Maine,  and  everything  to  lose. 
That  she  was  betrayed — as  she  has  been  so  many 
times,  as  Ireland  and  Poland  always  were — by  some 
of  her  subjects,  for  personal  spite,  or  by  sale  to  the 
Cubans,  is  very  probable.  The  Cubans  would  have 
moved  heaven  and  earth  to  accomplish  such  a  dis- 
aster, and  the  destruction  of  hundreds  of  our  men 
would  not  have  deterred  them  for  an  instant.  They 
are  half-breeds,  and  possess  all  the  vices  of  the 
mother-country,  and  none  of  her  virtues. 

A  like  population  exists  in  Mexico,  where  nothing 
but  the  strong  hand  of  Dictator  Diaz  has  redeemed 
that  land  from  the  reign  of  murder  and  robbery 
which  prevailed  when  I  first  visited  it  in  1879,  when 
it  was  not  safe  to  walk  the  streets  of  the  City  of 
Mexico  in  the  early  twilight.  Neither  could  one 
walk  alone  in  the  morning  down  her  Paseo  to 
Chapultepec.  Even  as  late  as  1888,  trains  from 
the  north  were  fired  into  as  they  passed  along. 
Diaz's  orders  were  "  prompt  execution  if  caught," 
and  many  of  the  miscreants  were  caught.  There, 
as  in  Manila,  an  ignorant,  grasping  priesthood  was 
largely  responsible  for  such  a  state  of  affairs.  The 
priests  knew  that  with  the  advent  of  enlightenment 
from  the  north  their  power  would  end,  and  it  has 
ended.  However,  it  may  be  that  a  Higher  Power 
has  directed  this  so-called  "  little  war."  It  may  be 
that  an  end  of  the  old  Spanish  Empire  was  intended, 
and  that  to  the  young  Republic  was  allotted  the 
task.  At  all  events,  the  "  little  war  "  has  been  pro- 
ductive of  great  results.  It  has  shown  to  the  world 


En  Route  to  Manila  113 

what  Europe  did  not  believe — the  perfect  union  of 
our  people.  Our  family  quarrel  was  our  own  quar- 
rel, and  when  a  foreign  foe  came  up  our  boys 
promptly  marched  from  all  sections  of  the  land,  and, 
standing  shoulder  to  shoulder,  went  forth  to  meet 
its  foes  as  they  will  ever  go.  There  was  no  North, 
South,  East,  or  West,  but  all  were  as  one,  and  had 
the  President  required  millions  of  men  he  would 
have  had  no  difficulty  in  securing  them. 

The  second  great  achievement  was  the  showing 
to  the  world,  and  to  our  "  jingoes  "  at  home,  the 
true  sentiments  of  Great  Britain.  To  the  thinker 
or  the  traveller  these  sentiments  have  of  late  years 
been  very  evident,  but  our  land  is  full  of  men  who 
never  travel — many  of  whom  have  been  sent  to 
Congress.  There  they  have  not  hesitated  to  blare 
forth  their  supposed  knowledge  of  the  present  con- 
ditions of  the  nations  of  the  earth,  especially  of 
England,  all  of  which  knowledge  has  been  learned 
from  our  school  histories,  books  which  had  better 
be  promptly  remodelled  and  brought  up  to  date, 
especially  the  histories  studied  years  since  by  the 
men  now  in  Congress,  and  which  deal  almost  en- 
tirely with  the  old  wars  of  a  century  ago  and  more. 
Year  after  year  Concord  has  been  fought  again, 
Ticonderoga  taken,  Yorktown  reviewed.  All  the 
time  has  been  spent  in  this  schoolboy  gloating  over 
this  past — rarely  is  the  present  or  future  studied  at 
all.  There  should  be  a  law  in  America  making 
travel  and  a  proper  appreciation  of  the  world  and 
its  people  requisites  for  election  to  offices  where 
such  appreciation  and  knowledge  are  absolutely  ne- 
cessary. If  any  man  with  such  knowledge  will  go  to 


ii4    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

the  halls  of  Congress,  he  will  come  away  scarcely 
proud  of  many  of  the  members  of  that  body.  Our 
history  is  a  glorious  one,  and  all  Americans  are, 
justly,  proud  of  it;  but  give  it  its  niche  in  the  past, 
study  it  forever,  but  also  know  the  present,  and  live 
in  the  age  in  which  you  are  born.  Of  the  work 
Great  Britain  has  done,  and  is  doing  the  world  over, 
most  Americans  have  known  and  cared  just  nothing 
at  all,  but  have  lived  under  the  firm  conviction  that 
England,  since  she  lost  us,  has  had  her  guns  ever 
trained  westward  to  retake  Bunker  Hill. 

That  our  occupation  of  the  Philippines  has  been 
greatly  to  the  taste  of  that  empire  is  very  evident. 
We  are  the  one  nation  on  the  globe  that  she  would 
willingly  see  in  possession.  It  may  be  claimed  that 
her  actions  are  all  based  upon  self-interest.  True, 
very  likely,  as  she  is  human,  and  as  self-interest  has 
been  at  the  base  of  most  actions  since  the  days  when 
the  serpent  tempted  Mother  Eve. 

When  Her  Majesty  the  Queen  goes  to  her  rest  she 
will  be  sincerely  mourned  in  America.  We  still  re- 
member that,  when  the  clouds  lowered  darkest  in 
our  own  land,  the  Queen  and  the  late  Prince  Con- 
sort were  ever  our  friends,  and  to  them  alone  we 
owe  a  great  debt  of  gratitude  for  being  spared  an 
awful  war  with  England.  The  note  which  Lord 
Palmerston  prepared  for  us  on  the  Mason  and  Slidell 
matter  was  one  that  no  self-respecting  nation  could 
have  accepted.  It  meant  war,  but  fortunately  it 
passed  into  the  hands  of  Prince  Albert,  who  re- 
modelled its  contents,  and,  when  signed  by  Her 
Majesty,  it  became  a  missive  of  peace. 

After  all,  little  things  make  up  the  sum  of  this 


En  Route  to  Manila  115 

life,  and  when  the  English  fleet,  by  the  notes  of  the 
Star-Spangled  Banner,  saluted  the  ships  of  Admiral 
Dewey  as  they  steamed  into  battle,  it  knocked  on 
the  hearts  of  our  people.  For  that  action,  and  for 
saluting  our  flag  as  it  was  raised  over  Manila,  the 
German  Admiral  censured  the  Englishman,  telling 
him  that  his  Government  "  would  not  approve." 
How  greatly  it  disapproved  is  shown  by  the  in- 
creased honours  bestowed  upon  him. 

At  Singapore  we  find  the  Raleigh  homeward  bound 
for  a  deserved  rest.  I  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
her  officers  upon  several  occasions,  and,  for  the  first 
time,  hear  the  true  reports  concerning  the  actions  of 
Admiral  Von  Diederichs;  but  the  story  will  un- 
doubtedly be  told  upon  the  arrival  of  the  Raleigh  at 
New  York,  if  our  Government  so  desires  it.  Cer- 
tainly it  would  not  be  proper  to  insert  it  here. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

MANILA 

The  Stormy  China  Sea — Communication  with  the  Islands — First 
Appearance  of  the  City — Landing — Hotels — A  Devotee  at  the 
Shrine  of  Manana  Forced  to  Deal  with  a  Nation  of  "  To-day" 
— The  Result — The  American  Accent  and  Language  in  the 
Far  East — First  Walks  through  the  City — The  Rush  in  the 
Streets — The  Strange  Vehicles — The  English  Hotel — "Car- 
men's Inn  " — Shadowy  Balconies — Richly  Carved  Beds — Rickety 
Furniture — The  Ills  that  the  Flesh  is  Heir  to — Electric  Lights 
— Murat  Halstead  and  the  Food  in  Manila. 

WHERE  is  Manila  ?     Very  few  Americans  had 
given    the   question    sufficient    thought  to 
answer  when  our  guns  broke  the  silence  of  years 
amidst  these  far-off  islands  of  the  Pacific. 

Manila  is  just  six  hundred  and  thirty  miles  be- 
yond the  worst  bit  of  sea  the  globe  possesses — six 
hundred  and  thirty  miles  south-east  from  Hong 
Kong.  To  reach  it  one  must  take  a  small  ship, 
wretchedly  uncomfortable,  that  the  waters  will  pitch 
and  toss  about  until  life  seems  scarce  worth  the 
living  even  to  those  who  are  not  seasick.  This 
China  Sea  is  never  quiet.  From  November  to 
March  the  north-east  monsoon  blows  the  ocean  into 
quaking,  shivering,  tossing  mountains;  from  June 
to  October  the  south-west  monsoon  tears  these 

'116 


Manila  1 1 7 

mountains  into  tatters;  and  in  the  interim,  in 
spring  and  fall,  the  typhoons  prevent  any  peaceful 
moment  for  this  wretched  sea.  I  have  traversed  all 
the  waters  of  the  globe,  but  must  bestow  the  palm 
upon  this  for  all  that  is  horrible,  not  even  excepting 
that  bit  of  ocean  the  Tasman  Sea — which  rolls  be- 
tween Australia  and  New  Zealand.  In  time  there 
will  be  larger  ships  placed  upon  this  line,  with  which, 
let  us  trust,  other  lines  will  enter  into  competition, 
but,  up  to  date,  the  entire  transportation  business 
to  the  islands  has  been  in  the  hands  of  one  or  two 
companies  that  have  paid  no  attention  to  the  pass- 
enger department.  However,  until  the  famous 
battle  of  the  1st  of  May,  passengers  for  the  Philip- 
pines were  few  in  number.  Spain  did  not  encourage 
the  world  at  large  to  enter  her  Eastern  possessions, 
and  if  the  traveller  insisted  upon  going  there  his 
stay  was  not  made  pleasant  for  him. 

For  two  days  and  three  nights  we  roll  and  toss 
about,  and  then  the  waters  quiet  somewhat,  until 
peace,  in  the  shape  of  the  harbour  of  Manila,  re- 
lieves us  at  last.  We  enter  the  bay  before  the  dawn 
has  given  light  enough  to  show  us  where  we  are. 
As  it  increases,  Dewey's  fleet  and  Cavite  are  dis- 
cernible off  to  the  south,  while  to  the  westward 
distant  mountains  circling  north  and  south  enclose 
a  wide  and  fertile  valley  where  stands  the  city  of 
Manila.  Manila  from  the  sea  presents  a  strong 
resemblance  to  Florence,  a  likeness  which  is 
strengthened  by  its  many  domes  and  campaniles, 
and  by  its  river,  but  these  mountains  are  more 
majestic  than  those  around  the  "  fairest  city  of  the 
earth." 


n8     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

Old  Manila  occupies  a  point  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  river  and  faces  the  bay.  It  is  a  collection  of 
churches,  palaces,  and  public  buildings.  Being 
doubly  walled  and  doubly  moated,  and  surrounded 
by  earthen  embankments,  it  is  a  place  most  difficult 
to  capture  if  properly  defended.  From  the  decks 
of  this  ship  I  can  see  four  great  Krupp  guns,  which 
alone  could  have  done  good  service,  but  our  Ad- 
miral's threat,  to  "  bombard  the  city  if  they  were 
used,"  kept  them  silent.  The  modern  town 
stretches  away  on  either  side  and  completely  en- 
closes the  ancient  sections.  Viewed  from  the 
water,  the  whole  presents  an  interesting  and  impos- 
ing panorama,  from  which  the  glittering  banner  of 
the  American  nation,  floating  from  every  available 
point,  in  no  way  detracts. 

We  are  again  impressed  by  the  independence  of 
the  steamship  line  when  the  question  of  landing 
comes  up. 

"  Captain,  how  are  we  to  get  ashore  ?  " 

"  Don't  know,  my  dear  sir;  the  line  only  con- 
tracts to  bring  you  here,  not  to  get  you  ashore." 

"  But  what  are  we  to  do  ?  " 

"  I  really  can't  say.  There  may  be  some  sam- 
pans along  after  a  while  with  which  you  can  make 
a  bargain." 

No  sign  of  such  means  of  landing  is  in  sight,  how- 
ever, to  relieve  the  minds  of  the  twenty-five  pass- 
engers. Fortunately,  Mr.  Wilson  of  Manila  is  on 
board,  and  when  his  steam  launch  comes  down,  he 
kindly  asks  all  who  desire  to  go  back  with  him  ;  and 
so,  landing  in  this  new  city  of  ours,  we  make  our 
way,  with  the  assistance  of  some  dozen  or  more 


Manila  119 

porters,  to  the  Oriente  Hotel.  What  an  establish- 
ment! How  shiftless  and  dirty,  and  how  it  smells! 
The  building  itself  is  well  enough,  being  large  and 
airy,  but  it  is  conducted  on  the  Spanish  plan  of  dirt 
and  sloth,  by  a  manager  whose  watchword  has  evi- 
dently been  manana  for  all  the  years  of  his  life. 
Now,  he  is  forced  to  deal  with  a  people  who  insist 
that  all  things  be  done,  completed,  finished,  the 
day  before  yesterday.  The  result  to  his  dead  brain 
is  almost  insanity.  He  looks  at  us  in  a  dazed  man- 
ner and  moans  out  that  he  has  no  rooms,  muttering 
constantly  the  one  all-expressive  word,  Americanos, 
Americanos.  From  behind  the  long  line  of  lattice 
doors,  all  up  and  down  the  hall,  come  to  our  ears 
words  and  tones  of  voices  that  reduce  space  to 
nothingness,  and  transport  us  into  our  own  land 
once  more.  We  secure  breakfast,  or  an  apology  for 
one,  and  in  the  dining-room  entirely  forget  the  fact 
that  there  is  little  to  eat,  and  that  little  very  dirty, 
as  we  gaze  at  our  countrymen  in  wonder  and  listen 
to  their  speech.  I  have  never  experienced  a  more 
singular  sensation  than  that  produced  by  the  sound 
of  our  American  accent  in  this  far-off  corner  of  the 
world.  These  people  certainly  are  of  our  own  land, 
and  any  doubt  thereof  is  promptly  dispelled  by  the 
many  questions  they  ask  us  about  "  home."  As 
we  answer,  I  gaze  at  their  fresh,  clear,  energetic 
faces,  and  then  at  those  of  the  dark-skinned,  lazy 
servants  and  manager,  and  wonder  how  the  juxtapo- 
sition came  about.  What  decree  of  fate  demanded 
that  our  fresh,  young  nation  should  come  out  of  the 
east  and  destroy  forever  the  last  remnants  of  the 
once  great  colonial  empire  of  Charles  V.  ?  Yet  that 


1 20    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

decree  has  gone  forth,  and  here  we  are  in  full  pos- 
session of  ancient  Manila. 

Breakfast — save  the  name !  — being  disposed  of,  we 
sally  forth  to  look  for  rooms,  but  even  with  that 
necessary  task  on  hand,  I  cannot  but  pause  and  gaze 
on  the  scene  before  me.  This  is  the  principal  square 
of  the  new  city,  on  one  side  of  which  stretches  a  vast 
tobacco  warehouse,  where  excellent  cigars  can  be 
bought  for  a  song — $25  in  gold  per  thousand.  To 
our  left  rises  one  of  the  great  churches,  and  through 
its  portals,  in  the  shadowy  interior,  gleam  the  lights 
of  many  candles,  while  the  fragrance  of  incense 
floats  outward  toward  us  over  the  heads  of  the  bow- 
ing worshippers.  Beggars  crowd  the  portals,  dirt 
and  dust  cover  the  pavements  sacred  and  profane. 
The  centre  of  the  square,  meant  originally  to  be 
ornamental,  is  wholly  neglected,  and  wretched  to 
look  upon.  Through  the  streets  rush  all  sorts  and 
conditions  of  vehicles.  I  use  the  word  "  rush  "  ad- 
visedly, because  no  one  ever  drives  slowly  in  Manila, 
not  even  excepting  the  evening  pleasure-seekers  in 
the  Luneta ;  all  move  at  a  breakneck  pace.  Even  the 
tram-cars,  drawn  by  three  sturdy  little  stallions, 
speed  wildly  along,  so  that  it  would  be  impossible 
to  board  them  while  in  motion. 

The  streets  of  Manila  are  crowded  throughout  the 
day  until  10  P.M.  Travellers  generally  use  a  vic- 
toria drawn  by  smart  little  ponies,  the  rig  costing 
four  dollars  in  gold  per  day.  The  native  cart,  the 
carromato,  is  a  rough,  high-wheeled  vehicle  on  two 
wheels,  with  a  square  body  or  platform  around  which 
runs  a  railing  a  foot  in  height ;  upon  this  are  placed 
the  seats — merely  loose  boards.  This  cart  is  hauled 


Manila  121 

by  one  horse.  There  is  also  a  neat  carry-all  with 
two  seats,  facing  each  other,  which  one  enters  at 
the  rear,  and  which  somewhat  resembles  our  railway 
cabs.  There  is  a  third  kind  of  carry-all,  called 
qu'ilez,  which  has  but  one  seat  close  behind  the 
small  perch  for  the  driver.  Amidst  all  the  bustle 
of  the  streets  I  notice  but  one  vehicle  that  does  not 
tear  along  at  a  breakneck  pace,  and  that  is  the  cart 
drawn  by  native  oxen.  Fright  will  sometimes  start 
these  animals,  however,  and  when  it  does,  all  else 
goes  down  before  them. 

We  stop  at  the  English  Hotel  in  the  Escolta — 
Manila's  principal  street.  I  secure  a  front  room  and 
spend  much  time  hanging  out  of  the  windows,  and, 
for  the  panorama  offered  therefrom,  I  forgive  the 
house  many  of  its  shortcomings.  It  is  truly  a 
Spanish  inn,  just  such  as  Carmen  was  wont  to  meet 
her  lover  in.  We  almost  expect  to  be  hailed  by  her 
from  out  the  shadowy  balconies  surrounding  its 
courtyard,  which  should  echo  to  the  sound  of  the 
guitar  and  the  patter  of  dancing  feet  rather  than  to 
the  clank  of  American  sabres;  but  at  least  the  sabres 
mean  protection  and  not  robbery  and  assassination, 
and  the  "  Carmens  "  are  not  all  in  Spain.  From 
the  centre  of  the  court  rise  some  battered  old  trees 
with  wide  tables  built  around  their  roots,  while 
opening  off  the  wide  galleries  one  finds  the  dining 
and  bedrooms.  There  are  not  more  than  a  dozen 
in  all  of  the  latter  very  unique  apartments.  There 
is  never  any  lock  to  their  doors,  mine  being  pro- 
vided, because  I  insist  upon  it,  with  a  peg,  whereby 
I  can  bar  entrance  by  night.  The  floors  are  bare 
and  very  dirty.  Clean  towels,  etc.,  are  unknown, 


122    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

and  no  chair  possesses  more  than  three  legs.  But 
one  gazes  in  amazement  at  the  beds.  Stately, 
carved  structures  with  canopies,  some  of  them 
would  be  ornamental  in  any  house.  They  have 
cane  bottoms,  across  which  are  stretched  fine  mats 
of  Manila  straw;  these  are  covered  with  sheets, 
which,  with  pillows,  form  the  entire  equipment. 
One  never  needs  any  covering,  save  perhaps  a 
corner  of  the  sheet. 

If  you  ask  for  tea  in  the  morning,  the  article 
brought  you  reduces  you  to  such  a  state  of  hopeless 
despair  that  words  fail  to  relieve  your  feelings,  and, 
no  matter  how  full  your  vocabulary  might  be,  the 
boy  would  not  understand  you.  He  may  bring 
you  a  spoon,  but  that  is  rarely  done.  However,  if 
the  stuff  is  hot,  drink  it  and  be  thankful. 

The  flesh  is  heir  to  many  ills  in  the  tropics,  and 
some  of  the  lesser  ones  attack  the  stranger  at  once 
and  are  the  hardest  to  endure.  The  very  clothes 
fresh  from  the  laundry  are  in  league  against  his 
peace  and  quiet.  These  people  never  use  hot  water 
in  their  laundry-work,  but  generally  go  to  a  dirty 
stream  where  a  parasite  of  some  sort  is  soaked  into 
the  garments  with  the  result,  to  the  wearer,  that 
wherever  they  chafe  the  person  through  perspira- 
tion or  friction  a  scarlet  rash  will  appear  which 
burns  intolerably,  is  most  unpleasant,  and,  unless 
attended  to,  will  extend  over  the  entire  body. 
Chemists  tell  me  that  strangers  are  more  liable  to 
its  attack  than  natives.  I  should  fancy  that  our 
army  must  surfer  greatly  from  this.  It  undoubt- 
edly comes  from  using  foul  water,  as  a  sunny,  hot 
day  will  cause  your  clothing  to  become  so  offensive 


Manila 


123 


that  it  must  be  removed.  But  to  return  to  the 
house. 

As  night  comes  on,  I  look  around  for  the  tallow 
dip,  by  which  I  had  fancied  light  would  be  fur- 
nished, when  I  am  astonished  by  a  sudden  blaze  of 
electricity,  and  discover  that  the  whole  of  the 
wretched  hostelry,  as  well  as  the  entire  city,  is 
lighted  by  the  genius  of  Edison. 

As  for  the  meals ! — I  do  not  blame  my  good  friend 
and  neighbour,  Murat  Halstead,  sick  as  he  was, 
from  fleeing  away  in  despair.  The  food  is  horrible, 
but  let  it  pass.  Fortunately  for  me  I  have  little  to 
do  with  it,  as,  having  been  "  put  up  "  at  the  English 
Club  at  Malate  and  the  Tiffin  Club  in  the  city,  and 
having  friends  in  the  army,  I  am  rarely  here  except 
to  sleep. 


CHAPTER  XV 


DAILY   LIFE   IN    "  BINONDO 

Streets  of  Manila — English  Club — Noises  and  Diseases — A  Drive 
into  the  Insurgents'  Territory — Aguinaldo's  and  General  Otis's 
Proclamations — Reports  from  Iloilo — Refusal  of  Press  there  to 
Print  the  President's  Proclamation — Spanish  Officers  and  Sol- 
diers— The  Former  together  with  the  Friars  to  Blame  for  Much 
of  the  Present  Trouble — An  Invitation  to  a  Ball  on  the  "  to-be- 
Captured  ''  Olympia — Rumours  of  an  Attack — Closing  of  the 
Shops  in  the  City — A  General  Call  to  Arms — Wild  Scene  in  the 
Escolta — The  Water-Supply  and  its  Exposed  Condition — Sam 
Paloc  and  its  Desecrated  Graves — Attack  on  one  of  our  Sentries, 
and  Death  of  the  Tagalos — The  i4th  Regulars — ' '  Retreat " — 
The  "  Angelus  "  and  the  Star- Spangled  Banner. 

THE  streets  of  Manila  are  wide  for  the  most  part, 
its  houses  are  nearly  all  two-storied  and  square, 
with  the  second  story  extending  over  the  sidewalk. 
In  the  resident  portions  of  the  town  there  are  hand- 
some villas  and  fine  grounds.  The  English  Club,  a 
pleasant  building,  and  most  hospitably  open  to 
strangers  who  are  properly  introduced,  is  beautifully 
placed  by  the  sea  in  Malate,  to  the  south  of  the  old 
town.  Broad  avenues  stretch  away  in  all  directions, 
and  every  now  and  then  the  traveller  comes  across 
an  ancient  church  with  its  clanging  bells.  But 
Manila  cannot  compare  with  the  City  of  Mexico, 

124 


Daily  Life  in  "  Binondo  "         125 

though  it  claims  almost  as  many  inhabitants — three 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand. 

Save  during  the  heat  of  the  day,  the  streets  are 
crowded  with  vast  concourses  of  people.  The  sev- 
eral lines  of  street-cars  are  always  jammed  and 
are  already  covered  with  American  advertisements. 
Hackney  carriages,  capable  of  carrying  two  people, 
have  six  or  eight  natives  crowded  into  them.  Owing 
to  the  prevalence  of  small-pox,  one  avoids  these 
vehicles  and  also  the  street-cars.  At  certain  times 
of  the  day  there  are  not  enough  of  both  to  carry  the 
moving  population.  In  our  drive  of  yesterday  we 
crossed  into  the  insurgents'  territory  and  drove 
where  we  pleased  without  heed  or  hindrance;  on 
the  contrary,  we  were  saluted  wherever  we  went, 
notwithstanding  the  fact  that  Aguinaldo  had  issued 
the  previous  day  his  proclamation  of  "  Liberty  or 
Death." 

The  proclamation  of  General  Otis  with  that  of  the 
President  was  issued  first,  and  it  seems  to  be  the 
opinion  of  the  English  and  Americans  here  that 
the  Tagalos  do  not  understand  it.  Some  claim 
that  it  is  in  fact  just  what  they  want,  while  others 
hold  that  nothing  short  of  anarchy  and  confusion 
will  satisfy  the  so-called  leaders;  but  all  agree  that 
they  are  fools  indeed  not  to  accept  our  terms. 
Many  fear  that  Aguinaldo's  proclamation  means 
the  beginning  of  a  long  guerrilla  war,  carried  on 
through  mountains  and  swamps  where  our  men 
cannot  exist,  but  where  the  insurgents  can  fight 
from  behind  barriers  of  some  sort,  and  never  in 
the  open ;  a  war  in  which  we  may  need  at  least  fifty 
thousand  troops,  as  many  black  ones  as  possible, 


i26    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

for  they  can  better  endure  the  summer  heat  of 
these  islands. 

To-day's  report  from  Iloilo  is  to  the  effect  that 
no  press  would  print  General  Otis's  proclamation, 
and  it  was  perforce  done  by  typewriters  and  read 
aloud,  only  to  be  ridiculed  by  the  people,  who  in 
reply  told  our  men  to  issue  all  the  proclamations 
they  desired,  and  do  what  they  desired,  but  not  to 
land  one  soldier  or  there  would  be  bloodletting. 

Bound  by  instructions  from  Washington  to  have 
no  "  bloodshedding  "  unless  actually  attacked,  our 
forces  were  tied  hand  and  foot,  and  the  people, 
knowing  nothing  of  the  cause,  set  down  our  in- 
action to  cowardice.  At  least  this  proclamation  of 
Aguinaldo's  was  attributed  directly  to  our  supposed 
supineness,  or,  as  they  called  it,  "  cowardice,"  at 
Iloilo. 

As  we  drive  along  we  pass  numbers  of  insurgents 
all  over  the  city.  They  are  allowed  the  freedom  of 
the  town  until  sunset,  so  long  as  they  go  unarmed. 
The  Spanish  officers  are  all  out  on  parole,  but  their 
soldiers  are  restricted  to  the  old  city,  and  both 
"  must  be  in  quarters  at  eight  o'clock."  They  are 
quartered  to  the  number  of  eight  thousand  all  over 
the  old  town,  while  the  cathedral  is  but  a  barracks, 
which  seems  a  shame. 

It  is  the  general  opinion  that  we  owe  much  of  the 
present  condition  of  affairs  with  the  revolutionists 
to  the  Spanish  officers  and  priests.  The  former, 
being  on  parole,  spread  poison  on  all  sides — ditto 
the  priests.  After  all,  we  must  remember  that  the 
ties  between  the  natives  and  the  Spaniards  are  very 
strong — they  have  the  same  religion,  and  there  is 


Daily  Life  in  "  Binondo  "         127 

much  mingling  of  blood  and  language.  We  are 
outsiders,  and,  like  the  Irishman's  wife,  they  will 
turn  against  us.  They  have  no  love  for  nor  belief 
in  us,  and  cannot  appreciate  what  we  would  do  for 
them. 

Just  before  the  battle  of  May  1st,  the  Spanish 
Admiral  appeared  one  evening  on  the  Escolta.  He 
was  in  all  the  glory  of  full  dress,  and  proceeded  to 
harangue  the  multitudes,  assuring  them  that  his 
fleet  would  promptly  sink  the  "  tin  kettles  "  of  the 
Yankees,  while  he  had  numberless  prisons  prepared 
in  the  old  fortress  for  the  "  American  pigs."  It  is 
also  said  that  invitations  had  been  issued  to  the 
"  first  Spanish  families,"  inviting  them  to  a  ball  on 
the"  to-be-captured  Olympiad'  The  Escolta  rang 
with  cheers  for  old  Spain  and  the  brave  Admiral. 

Rumours  of  trouble  are  rife  to-day  in  the  Escolta; 
many  actually  believe  that  the  insurgents  mean  to 
attack  the  city  at  once,  and  most  of  the  shops  are 
closed  for  fear  of  looting.  It  has  been  a  strange 
awakening  for  this  sleepy  old  town,  and  some  of 
her  people  have  risen  to  the  occasion  and  are  making 
money.  Every  other  shop  in  this  street  has  been 
turned  into  a  beer  hall,  and  all  are  full  of  a  motley 
crowd.  Through  the  door  of  yonder  spacious  place, 
the  "  Alhambra,"  I  can  see  Spaniards,  Tagalos, 
Chinese,  French,  and  Americans,  and  our  uniforms 
are  to  be  seen  everywhere. 

Some  few  days  after  the  fall  of  the  city,  a  Spanish 
paper  printed  a  view  of  the  appearance  of  the  Escolta 
under  Yankee  rule.  All  down  each  side  of  its  nar- 
row, crooked  way  could  be  seen  over  almost  every 
door  "  Bar,"  "  Bar,"  "  Bar."  It  is  not  much  bet- 


128    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

ter  now,  but  the  regulations  are  better,  and  these 
places  are  closed  at  10  P.M.  and  on  Sundays. 

There  are  some  hundreds  of  our  men  in  yonder 
Alhambra,  and  even  as  I  write  come  the  notes  of  a 
general  alarm.  At  its  summons  a  rush  for  the  street 
ensues,  which  completely  wrecks  the  establishment, 
while  the  passage  of  our  men  up  the  Escolta  causes 
the  natives  the  greatest  terror,  and  their  puny 
figures  flee  in  all  directions  before  the  onward  rush 
of  our  giants.  The  city  has  become  a  scene  of  the 
wildest  confusion,  and  much  of  it,  as  I  watch  from 
my  window  on  the  Escolta,  is  very  amusing. 

The  entire  life  of  the  streets  rushes  in  one  direc- 
tion, while  that  of  the  pavements  takes  the  other, 
especially  the  Spanish  officers,  who  make  a  desperate 
attempt  to  get  into  the  old  walled  town,  well  know- 
ing what  their  fate  will  be  if  the  Tagalos  obtain  the 
upper  hand.  They  are,  however,  all  stopped  by  the 
sentries  at  the  Spanish  Bridge,  and  I  can  plainly  see 
their  wild  gesticulations  and  arguments,  all  of  which 
produces  no  effect  on  the  crossed  bayonets  of  our 
men.  In  the  midst  of  the  confusion  a  lot  of  Chinese, 
with  their  dancing-master  steps  and  bland  smiles, 
come  sailing  around  a  corner,  each  bearing  burdens 
at  either  end  of  long  poles  over  their  shoulders. 
They  go  down  bag  and  baggage  like  a  pack  of  cards, 
and  are  blown  away  like  the  leaves  of  autumn,  vainly 
endeavouring  to  grab  at  their  sticks,  rags,  and  tat- 
ters, while  their  chatter  changes  to  the  clatter  of  a 
flock  of  frightened  geese.  The  shops  of  the  Escolta 
close  as  by  magic,  their  owners  repairing  to  the 
second-story  windows.  It  takes  but  about  fifteen 
minutes  for  our  entire  twenty  thousand  men  to  get 


Daily  Life  in  "  Binondo  "         129 

to  position,  so  perfectly  has  the  city  been  mapped 
out  and  each  squad  and  sentinel  assigned  to  position. 

For  half  an  hour  the  town  appears  devoid  of  all 
life,  and  then,  the  alarm  passing,  the  tide  of  human- 
ity flows  on  once  more.  The  shops  open,  the  con- 
cert halls  tune  up,  and  all  is  merry. 

The  cause  of  the  disturbance  to-day,  and  the 
consequent  general  call  to  arms,  will  probably  re- 
main a  mystery — at  least  there  are  so  many  reasons 
given  that  the  truth  is  hopelessly  lost.  Some  attrib- 
ute it  to  the  raiding  of  a  gambling  hell  in  the  old 
town,  during  which  the  only  victim  was  a  dog. 
Horse  thieves  are  talked  of  and  many  other  causes, 
but,  whatever  the  true  cause,  General  Otis  con- 
sidered it  sufficiently  important  to  send  in  a  general 
call.  But  my  carriage  is  ready  for  another  drive. 

Almost  the  first  thing  a  traveller  notices  is  the 
unprotected  state  of  the  water-works  and  -mains. 
Manila's  water-supply  is  brought  to  the  city  from  a 
distance  of  seven  miles,  through  large  iron  pipes  on 
the  surface  of  the  ground.  Its  source  and  the  pipes 
for  the  greater  part  of  the  way  are  within  the  insur- 
gents' territory,  and  it  is  a  marvel  that  they  have 
never  interfered  with  the  system  during  all  these 
years  of  trouble  with  Spain.  But  they  never  have 
done  so,  the  reason  given  being  their  desire  to  spare 
their  families  and  friends  living  in  the  city. 

I  am  told  that  I  cannot  travel  in  the  country,  that 
Aguinaldo  will  not  permit  it,  yet  we  drive  daily  far 
beyond  our  outposts,  and  we  pass  hundreds  of  in- 
surgents, who  simply  salute.  On  the  drive  to-day 
we  visit  the  Chinese  cemetery,  some  miles  beyond 
our  sentries.  The  spot  is  as  desolate  as  such  spots 


130    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

usually  are,  but  it  is  on  the  only  rising  ground 
around  Manila,  affording  an  extensive  prospect 
east,  north,  and  south  over  rich  plains  and  lovely 
mountains,  and  westward  over  the  city  and  bay. 
Around  our  feet  are  scattered  the  white  tombs  of 
the  dead,  the  Tagalos  burying  in  catacombs  and 
graves,  while  the  Chinese,  even  those  who  are 
Christians,  still  cling  to  the  queer,  round-topped 
tombs  so  dear  to  the  Celestials,  and  upon  which  the 
emblem  of  Christianity  seems  strangely  out  of  place. 

The  scenes  in  these  campos  santos  are  often 
terrible  to  look  upon.  Here  before  us  is  a  cata- 
comb of  a  native,  ruthlessly  broken  open  by  some 
vandal,  with  its  coffin  torn  asunder,  displaying  the 
features  of  an  old  man.  The  wind  lifts  his  snowy 
locks  as  I  glance  inward,  and  seems  to  moan  in  pro- 
test at  the  desecration  of  his  last  sleep,  at  this 
horrible  barbarity.  The  old  man  has  been  buried 
with  care;  he  was  somebody's  loved  one,  so  I  try 
to  give  him  the  shelter  of  his  coffin  lid,  but  it  is  use- 
less, and  the  custodian  laughs  at  me  for  my  pains. 
Coming  from  a  country  where  the  dead  are  treated 
with  all  reverence,  the  callous  indifference  of  these 
people  to  those  they  have  lost  strikes  one  as  horrible ; 
but  how  much  more  horrible  the  actions  of  their 
priesthood,  who,  unless  the  five  dollars  yearly  are 
paid  for  a  grave,  will  ruthlessly  tear  it  open  and  cast 
the  remains  into  the  horrible  Golgotha! 

We  visit  also  the  Campo  Santo  of  Sam  Paloc,  the 
burial-place  of  the  native  poor;  a  vast,  neglected 
square  where  both  Spaniards  and  insurgents  have 
camped  time  and  again.  The  chapel  is  wrecked, 
and  hundreds  of  graves  and  catacombs  have  been 


Daily  Life  in  "Binondo"         131 

rifled  and  desecrated.  One  corner  of  the  wall  is 
broken  down  and  transformed  into  an  earthwork,  just 
outside  of  which  stand  some  of  our  pickets,  and,  as 
we  chat  with  them,  our  eyes  rove  afar  inland,  over 
a  lovely  landscape  of  green  fields  and  waving  trees 
stretching  away  to  where  the  foot-hills  rise  to  a  union 
with  the  higher  mountains,  spreading  off  range  after 
range — a  peaceful  scene  save  where  our  soldiers  show 
forth,  and  where  the  insurgent  lines  stand  out  in  the 
underbrush.  Last  night  two  of  the  insurgents  ap- 
proached an  American  soldier,  and  after  the  saluta- 
tion of  Filipinos  amigos,  stabbed  him  in  the  cheek. 
He  promptly  shot  them  dead,  and  they  now  lie  in 
yonder  hut  awaiting  burial. 

During  our  return  drive  we  pass  several  barracks 
full  of  insurgents  and  within  easy  range  of  their 
forts,  but  no  motion,  friendly  or  hostile,  is  made. 
A  wide  sweep  east  and  south  of  the  city  brings  us 
to  the  barracks  of  the  I4th  in  Malate,  just  in  time 
to  hear  "  retreat  "  sounded  for  the  night.  The 
evening  drill  takes  place  in  front  of  a  statue  of 
Queen  Isabella,  which  stands  near  an  old  church. 
It  is  a  strange  sight  to  watch  the  long  lines  of 
American  soldiers,  to  hear  our  language  on  all 
sides,  and  then  to  look  around  at  the  crowds  of 
dark-skinned  natives,  at  the  lounging  Spanish  offi- 
cers and  insurgents,  and,  finally,  at  the  placid  face 
of  the  Queen  where  she  gazes  outward  over  the  bay, 
in  grave  amazement,  as  it  were,  at  the  presence  of 
Dewey's  fleet  down  near  Cavite.  Soon  the  clatter- 
ing, cracked  bells  of  the  ancient  church  ring  out  the 
"  Angelus,"  and  as  it  ends  the  notes  of  the  Star- 
Spangled  Banner  float  out  on  the  evening  air,  while 


i32    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

our  flag  comes  slowly  down  for  the  night.  West- 
ward the  waters  of  the  bay  glisten  and  quiver  in  the 
sunset.  The  sky  is  all  aflame,  with  Dewey's  ships 
silhouetted  against  the  crimson  glow,  but  ships  and 
crimson  vanish  suddenly  as  the  curtain  of  night  falls 
on  Malate. 


CHAPTER  XVI 

OLD   MANILA 

Old  Manila— Effect  of  the  Earthquakes— Gloom  of  the  Ancient  City 
— Ruins  of  Churches  and  Convents — The  Official  Palace — 
Statue  of  Magellan — Portraits  of  Old  Spaniards — Portrait  of  the 
Queen  and  King — View  from  the  Palace  Windows — The  Cathe- 
dral— Desecration  of  the  Edifice  by  the  Prisoners — Monkeys  on 
the  High  Altar — Jewels  on  the  Shrines. 


M 


ANILA  is  called  the  Venice  of  the  far  East, 
probably  because  there  is  no  resemblance  to 
the  "  Bride  of  the  Adriatic."  The  old  city  alone 
is  known  as  "  Manila."  All  the  other  sections  are 
called  by  separate  names.  The  walls  of  the  ancient 
town  were  built  in  1590.  Standing  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  river,  and  close  to  the  bay,  they  are  the  first 
object  to  attract  the  traveller's  notice.  There  are 
eight  drawbridge  entrances  through  them,  and, 
until  1852,  the  draws  were  raised  and  gates  were 
closed  from  n  P.M.  until  4  A.M. ;  but  an  earthquake 
in  that  year  destroyed  a  portion  of  one  of  the  gates, 
and  thereafter  the  town  was  decreed  open  all  the 
time. 

In  the  great  earthquake  of  1863  the  shock  lasted 
half  a  minute,  causing  four  hundred  deaths,  while 
two  thousand  were  wounded  by  falling  buildings. 

133 


i34     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

The  loss  was  estimated  at  $8,000,000.  Forty-six 
public  and  five  hundred  and  seventy  private  build- 
ings were  totally  wrecked.  This  earthquake  caused 
the  abandonment  of  tiles  as  roofing,  galvanised  iron 
being  substituted. 

The  shock  of  1647  destroyed  all  the  churches  but 
two,  and  all  the  monasteries  but  one.  The  shock 
of  1863  brought  down  all  the  churches  again,  so  that 
there  are  no  old  edifices.  The  facades  of  some, 
however,  survived  both  shocks.  The  ancient  city 
is  sombre  and  gloomy,  and  is  without  popular  caf£s, 
opera-house,  theatre,  or  place  of  amusement.  All 
the  trading,  all  the  banks,  all  the  business  houses, 
theatres,  and  hotels — all  the  life,  in  fact — are  in  the 
section  on  the  island  of  Binondo,  just  opposite  the 
old  town  and  on  the  right  bank  of  the  river. 

Old  Manila  is  laid  off  in  squares,  the  streets  being 
comparatively  wide,  and  the  paving  not  bad.  There 
are  narrow  sidewalks,  shaded  by  the  projecting  roofs 
of  the  houses  and  palaces  which  rise  in  regular  rows 
on  either  side,  but  never  to  more  than  two  stories 
in  height;  the  stories  are,  however,  very  high,  so 
that  the  buildings  are  not  squat,  but  handsome  and 
stately  in  appearance,  especially  the  property  of  the 
priests.  Here  and  there  the  traveller  will  come 
across  evidences  of  the  great  earthquake  of  1863. 
Yonder  is  an  entire  square  shaken  into  chaos.  A 
stately  church  with  its  attendant  cloisters  and  mon- 
asteries once  stood  there,  but  nothing  save  the  strong 
outer  walls  and  some  of  the  arches  have  withstood 
the  shaking  of  the  earth,  and  the  whole  is  now  a 
picturesque  ruin,  covered  with  clambering  vines. 

Near  by  I  come   upon   another  enclosure,    sur- 


Old  Manila  135 

rounded  by  a  very  high  wall,  with  but  one  entrance. 
One  of  our  sentries  stands  on  guard,  and  I  ask  him 
what  it  is. 

"  Don't  know,  sir,  though  I  have  often  wondered 
at  the  queer  old  place." 

On  entering,  I  discover  that  it  must  have  been  a 
group  of  buildings  similar  to  the  first,  but  now  it  is 
one  vast  tenement-house  for  the  very  poor,  who 
cluster  around  its  arches  and  ruined  corridors  by  the 
hundreds.  One  is  not  tempted  to  penetrate  into  its 
vileness  farther  than  the  outer  quarter. 

The  antiquary  will  find  few  quainter  places  on  the 
globe  than  the  old  city  of  Manila,  and  to  him  it  will 
be  a  pleasure  to  wander  up  and  down  her  long, 
gloomy  streets,  peering  into  each  court  and  patio, 
or  gazing  upward  at  some  richly  carved,  ecclesiasti- 
cal facade,  perhaps  all  that  the  trembling  earth 
spared  of  a  sacred  edifice,  save  some  lonely  pillars 
covered  with  trailing  vines.  The  wine-shops  are 
many,  and  the  guitar  tinkles  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  town,  except  where  the  high 
walls  of  the  monasteries  and  convents  stare  blankly 
forth. 

The  streets  of  old  Manila  are  all  at  right  angles. 
If  I  remember  correctly,  this  is  the  case  with  all 
Spanish  cities.  I  can  recall  none  that  have  crooked 
streets,  unless  it  be  Havana.  Old  Manila  presents 
an  attractive  but  not  a  majestic  panorama.  There 
are  no  soaring  spires,  or  domes,  or  campaniles,  but 
above  its  wide  moats  and  massive  double  walls  rise 
the  roofs  of  its  churches,  palaces,  monasteries,  and 
convents,  long,  low,  and  gloomy-looking,  save  where 
the  brilliant  colouring  of  the  walls  beneath  catches 


1 36    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

the  sunlight.  The  palaces  and  private  edifices  rise 
just  high  enough  to  allow  one  balcony  to  overlook 
the  battlements,  and,  except  where  the  walls  of  the 
fortress  rise,  dark  and  sombre,  these  balconies  are 
everywhere,  that  is,  on  the  outer  sides  toward  the  sea 
and  the  new  city ;  and  as  the  sun  declines  they  be- 
come peopled  with  pretty  maidens,  ugly  old  women, 
sleek,  unctuous-looking  friars,  Spanish  prisoners, 
and  American  soldiers,  while  above  all  floats  that 
"  flag  like  a  flower  "  brought  by  a  nation  out  of  the 
east. 

General  Otis  and  dozens  of  our  officers  have  their 
official  quarters  in  the  palace  of  old  Manila — the 
private  palace  of  the  Spanish  Governor  is  located  in 
the  outer  town;  the  old  building  faces  what  was 
intended  as  the  main  square  of  the  city,  with  the 
cathedral  filling  part  of  another  side.  The  palace  is 
a  large  two-storied  structure,  with  all  the  offices  and 
state  apartments  on  the  second  floor.  This  is  the 
case  with  all  buildings,  public  and  private. 

We  enter  a  spacious  vestibule  and  ascend  a  wide 
staircase  which  branches  at  a  landing  for  the  second 
floor.  Here  we  pause  a  moment  to  inspect  an  im- 
posing marble  statue  of  Magellan  before  passing 
through  a  lofty  portal  into  what  must  have  been  the 
hall  of  audience.  The  hall  itself,  a  majestic  apart- 
ment over  one  hundred  feet  long  by  fifty  wide,  has  a 
beautiful  parquet  floor,  and  its  lofty  walls  are  lined 
with  long  rows  of  life-size  portraits  of  Spain's  famous 
men ;  here  again  we  see  the  features  of  Magellan — 
a  typical  Spanish  face  and  one  interesting  to  look 
upon.  His  eyes  seem  to  follow  us  with  interest  as 
we  pass  down  the  long  apartment ;  evidently  he  does 


Old  Manila  137 

not  recognise  our  faces  as  belonging  to  his  native 
land,  or  to  that  for  which  he  toiled,  suffered,  and 
died,  but  his  glance  is  not  unfriendly;  certainly  his 
expression  is  in  no  degree  as  sinister  or  suspicious 
as  those  of  the  long  line  of  notables  which  keep  him 
company. 

This  is  the  heart  of  old  Manila.  In  this  room  all 
the  gay  festivities  must  have  taken  place,  all  the  in- 
trigues, all  the  plots  and  counter-plots  of  those  who 
have  held  the  destinies  of  these  islands  in  their  hands 
for  three  hundred  years.  I  cannot  learn  the  age  of 
this  building,  but  the  spot  is  and  always  has  been 
the  site  of  the  official  palace. 

Passing  out  of  the  grand  hall  and  upward  to  the 
main  floor,  the  traveller  enters  the  council  chamber, 
and  is  confronted  by  a  chair  of  state  over  which 
hangs  a  portrait  of  the  good  Queen  Regent  and  the 
little  King,  and  I  think  it  is  safe  to  say  that  each 
and  every  American  takes  off  his  hat  to  Christina, 
and  has  a  smile  for  the  little  King.  The  room  is 
furnished  by  a  large  and  elaborately  carved  table 
and  some  dozen  or  so  of  heavily  carved  chairs  of 
teak- wood,  each  bearing  the  royal  arms.  This,  with 
the  gallery,  forms  the  main  apartment  of  the  palace, 
but  there  are  many  others  opening  off  of  the  long 
halls  surrounding  the  inner  court. 

The  council  chamber  overlooks  the  square,  now  a 
desolate  plaza  with  a  few  melancholy  trees  occupy- 
ing its  centre,  while  in  one  corner  is  a  crazy  cam- 
panile, or  rather  a  scaffold,  which  holds  the  bells  of 
the  cathedral.  The  original  campanile,  shattered 
by  earthquakes,  stands  near  by. 

The  cathedral  itself  rises  on  the  west,  and  beyond 


138     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

are  what  must  be  the  ruins  of  the  older  structure, 
also  shaken  down  in  the  disturbance  of  1863.  Off 
to  the  right  in  the  arsenal,  where  a  dress  parade  of 
some  of  our  regulars  is  taking  place,  one  hears  the 
notes  of  Marching  through  Georgia  mingling  with 
the  clangour  of  the  bells  from  the  Convent  of  Santa 
Clara,  whose  long  roofs  rise  behind  massive  walls 
on  the  extreme  right. 

But  let  us  enter  the  cathedral.  It  is  a  building  of 
stately  proportions,  being  some  three  hundred  feet 
long  by  one  hundred  and  fifty  wide,  with  a  nave, 
choir,  and  two  transepts,  also  two  side  aisles,  and  a 
dome  of  some  majesty.  There  are  many  frescoes 
and  altars,  and,  as  in  all  Spanish  churches,  the 
centre  is  closed  off  into  a  smaller  place  of  worship, 
which  of  course  mars  the  effect,  as  from  no  point 
can  be  obtained  a  general  view  of  the  whole  edifice. 
But  as  I  walk  through  it  to-day  I  am  desirous  only 
of  getting  out  again."  Numberless  Spanish  soldiers 
are  here,  there,  and  everywhere,  lying  asleep  on  the 
high  altar  and  side  shrines,  using  the  sacred  edifice 
in  every  possible  and  filthy  manner,  while  pests  of 
monkeys  climb  over  everything;  yonder  is  one 
lying  asleep  on  the  spot  where,  of  old,  the  host 
stood  in  its  jewelled  monstrance.  The  floor  is 
slimy  with  accumulated  filth,  and  the  whole  is  dese- 
crated. I  am  told  that  this  occurred  before  our 
occupation,  that  the  Church  abandoned  the  edifice 
upon  some  difficulty  with  the  people,  and  that  Spain 
first  used  it  as  a  prison  for  the  insurgents.  Certainly 
the  Anglo-Saxon  race  has  never  been  given  to  the 
desecration  of  churches,  save  in  the  time  of  religious 
wars,  and  our  authorities  would  be  the  last  to 


Old  Manila  139 

countenance  such  conditions  as  exist  in  the  old 
cathedral  of  Manila  to-day.  It  should  not  be 
allowed  to  continue ;  there  are  other  places  for  these 
prisoners — the  buildings  of  the  Convent  of  Santa 
Clara,  for  instance. 

St.  Andrew  is  the  patron  saint  of  Manila,  and  his 
day  was  duly  celebrated  by  High  Mass  in  this  cathe- 
dral. He  is  supposed  to  have  saved  the  city  from 
the  Chinese,  and  therefore,  in  bygone  years,  the 
priesthood  have  asserted  the  supremacy  of  the 
Church  over  the  State  by  spreading  the  nation's 
banner  over  the  floor  of  this  edifice  for  the  arch- 
bishop to  walk  over.  This  custom  has  since  been 
changed  to  a  procession  in  which  the  banner  is 
carried  in  front  and  is  three  times  dipped  to  the 
image  of  Christ.' 

Vast  sums  of  money  have  been  expended  in  the 
adornment  of  the  sacred  images  of  the  church. 
Foreman  tells  us  that  on  All  Saints'  Day  such 
crowds  of  people  attend  the  shrines  to  pray  for  the 
dead  that  Chinese  coolies  are  employed  to  clear 
them  out  every  few  moments. 


CHAPTER  XVII 

RAMBLES  IN   OLD   MANILA 

Attack  of  the  Chinese  in  1574 — Ambition  of  the  Clergy — Dishonesty 
of  Churchmen  and  Statesmen — Trials  of  the  Governors  for 
Stealing — Governor-General  and  his  Reputation — His  Wife  and 
the  Jewels — The  Apportionment  of  the  Land  by  the  Patriot 
Leaders  to  Themselves — Ignorance  of  the  People  on  the  Subject 
— The  Jesuits  and  their  Monastery — Age  of  Manila's  Churches 
—The  Fortress  of  Old  Manila— The  "Black  Hole"  and  its 
Victims — Armament  of  the  Fort — Officers'  Club  in  the  Fortress 
— Pretty  Maidens — Ugly  and  Slovenly  Older  Women — The 
Paseo  and  Luneta — Gorgeous  Sunsets-  Wonderful  Display  of 
the  Fireflies. 

HPHE  famous  attack  of  the  Chinese  occurred  in 
1  1574,  and  the  Spaniards  were  as  unprepared 
then  as  they  were  in  these  latter  days.  The  enejny 
penetrated  within  the  very  walls  of  the  city  before 
the  Governor-General  would  believe  that  an  attack 
was  intended.  Then  the  people  fled  to  Fort  Santi- 
ago. Cavite  saw  at  that  time  also  a  waiting  fleet, 
but  though  fleet  and  army  both  attacked  the  city, 
the  Spaniards  finally  gained  the  victory ;  the  Chinese 
leader,  however,  actually  obtained  admittance  to  the 
fortress. 

That  curse  of  the  Spanish  nation — internal  dissen- 
sion— gave  little  peace  to  Manila  in  the  years  that 

140 


Rambles  in  Old  Manila 


followed,  and  even  then  the  immoderate  ambition 
of  the  clergy  had  commenced  that  work  which  in 
the  end  wrecked  the  happiness  of  the  archipelago. 
Peculations,  frauds,  jealousies,  and  quarrels  among 
both  secular  and  religious  bodies  had  commenced 
even  in  1598.  A  governor-general  was  not  allowed 
to  depart  without  an  inquiry,  generally  very  neces- 
sary, to  twist  his  official  neck,  and  few  escaped  their 
enemies  at  such  a  time,  were  they  guilty  or  innocent. 
The  records  of  Manila  show  the  trials  of  governor 
after  governor  for  fraud  and  stealing.  Torralba,  in 
1717,  was  charged  with  stealing  $7,000,000.  Con- 
demned to  pay  a  heavy  fine  and  to  banishment  from 
the  Philippines  and  Madrid,  he  died  in  poverty  in 
the  hospital;  but  both  before  and  after  him  the 
records  are  no  better,  down  to  our  own  day.  The 
power  of  these  governors  was  absolute,  and  they 
were  often  the  executioners  of  the  guilty  —  as  in  the 
case  of  De  Lua  in  1622,  who,  suspecting  his  wife  of 
infidelity,  called  his  priest  to  confess  both  the 
woman  and  her  paramour,  after  which  he  (the  hus- 
band) stabbed  them  both.  The  house  of  the  lover 
was  razed  to  the  ground  and  salt  was  strewn  over 
the  site.  The  husband  continued  to  govern  for  two 
years  and  then  died  of  melancholy. 

In  our  day  one  of  the  governors  has  left  a  lasting 
fame  behind  him.  It  is  stated  here  that  he  appro- 
priated some  four  million  Mexican  dollars  for  his 
use,  and  that  was  but  one  of  his  many  venal  acts. 
His  wife  worked  hand  and  glove  with  him,  and  the 
two  got  all  they  could.  For  instance,  it  was  cus- 
tomary to  present  to  the  wife  of  the  new  governor- 
general  a  necklace  of  jewels,  and  three  were  sent  to 


142     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

this  woman  for  her  selection.  She  kept  them  all. 
If  she  saw  any  ornament  upon  a  native,  half-caste, 
or  Spaniard  which  she  admired,  she  would  ask  to 
look  at  it  and  would  then  remark,  "  I  like  this.  I 
shall  keep  it. ' '  She  sold  the  positions  within  the  grip 
of  her  husband  to  the  highest  bidder.  Small  wonder 
that  the  honest  members  of  the  Spanish  Cortes,  in 
open  session,  called  this  man  a  "  thief  and  liar." 

That  which  the  rulers  of  these  islands  have  prac- 
tised for  three  centuries  has  been  well  learned  by 
the  natives ;  they  know  no  other  method,  and,  to- 
day, the  so-called  "  patriot  leaders  "  have  mapped 
off  most  of  the  rich  haciendas,  allotting  an  equal 
number  to  each  of  their  members;  if  successful  in 
driving  out  our  forces  they  will  then  be  able  to  sell 
out  at  a  higher  figure.  Of  course,  if  we  hold  the 
islands  this  will  not  work — hence  their  determina- 
tion to  be  independent.  If  all  this  could  be  ex- 
plained to  the  people  the  cause  of  the  "  patriots  " 
would  collapse,  but  it  cannot.  No  native  paper 
will  publish  it,  and  the  people  could  not  read  it  if 
this  were  done. 

I  sat  for  an  hour  to-day  in  the  parlour  of  the 
Jesuit  monastery  talking  to  the  Father  Superior  and 
several  of  the  brethren.  One  of  the  latter  spoke 
some  English,  but  a  continuous  residence  of  twenty- 
five  years  had  banished  most  of  it  from  his  memory. 
The  room  we  were  in  was  the  only  spot  in  the  build- 
ing not  profaned  by  the  war.  All  the  corridors  and 
apartments  were  full  of  Spanish  prisoners,  and 
paintings  of  long-dead  saints,  popes,  and  padres 
gazed  down  in  wonder  at  the  sights  and  sounds 
which  had  invaded  their  solitude. 


Rambles  in  Old  Manila          143 

Outside  in  the  courtyards  and  cloisters  resounded 
the  noise  of  hundreds  of  voices,  but  the  peace  and 
quiet  of  the  past  lingered  in  this  parlour  and  in  the 
great  church  adjoining.  It  is  here  that  I  learn  from 
the  Father  Superior  that  all  the  churches  of  Manila 
were  shattered  and  thrown  down  by  the  trembling 
earth  in  1863.  This  and  all  the  others,  including 
the  cathedral,  date  from  1867.  Naturally  this  de- 
tracts from  our  interest  and  we  take  our  departure, 
making  our  salutations  to  the  white-robed  fathers, 
who  stand  with  clasped  hands  at  the  head  of  the 
grand  staircase,  looking  strangely  out  of  place  sur- 
rounded by  all  this  Babylon  of  war,  and  surely 
holding  nothing  in  common  with  the  condemned 
friars. 

The  fortress,  we  find,  with  the  city  walls,  is  the 
only  portion  of  the  old  town  which  dates  from  be- 
fore the  earthquake.  It  is  situated  at  the  angle  of 
the  river  and  the  bay,  and  in  its  walls,  which  are  of 
enormous  thickness,  doubtless  many  relics  of  Span- 
ish barbarity  would  come  to  light  if  a  systematic 
examination  were  attempted.  The  donjons  show 
traces  of  having  been  closed  up  in  many  places,  and, 
probably,  as  at  the  Convent  of  Santo  Domingo  in 
Mexico,  many  a  ghastly  horror  would  be  exposed 
by  opening  these  places.  There  are  several  visible 
donjons,  dark  and  dank  enough  for  all  purposes,  and 
in  one  of  them,  called  the  "  Black  Hole,"  more 
than  one  hundred  political  prisoners  were  shut 
down,  most  of  whom  perished.  Another,  fifteen 
by  forty  feet,  held  eighty  poor  wretches  upon  whom 
the  door  had  been  closed  and  they  had  been  "  for- 
gotten." All  were  suffocated.  Better,  surely,  the 


144    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

fate  of  those  who  were  shot  to  death  out  on  the 
fashionable  drive,  a  sight  that  people  were  wont  to 
drive  to  as  they  now  do  to  listen  to  the  music. 

This  old  fort  is  doubly  moated  and  thickly  walled. 
It  is  an  enlarged  St.  Augustine.  There  are  some 
good  guns  upon  the  walls,  but  they  show  no  evi- 
dence of  having  been  used  or  that  any  attempt  was 
made  to  do  so.  In  the  court  of  the  arsenal,  outside 
the  main  portal, — an  archway  richly  decorated  with 
the  arms  of  Spain, — are  quantities  of  fine  shot  and 
shell  piled  in  symmetrical  rows  and  pyramids,  and 
all  undisturbed;  indeed,  it  is  said  that  this  ammu- 
nition will  not  fit  any  of  the  guns  in  the  city.  In- 
side of  one  courtyard  stands  a  poor  Filipino  who 
murdered  a  man  not  long  since.  He  has  been  tried 
and  the  evidence  sent  to  Washington,  but  let  us 
hope  that  his  case  will  not  be  passed  upon  as  though 
he  were  a  white  man;  he  knew  not  what  he  did. 
As  I  passed  him  he  fairly  grovelled  on  the  ground. 
He  sleeps  at  night,  and  has  done  so  for  a  month, 
in  one  of  the  old  donjons  of  the  fortress. 

The  officers  at  the  citadel  have  very  pleasant 
quarters.  They  have  formed  a  club,  the  main  room 
of  which,  located  on  the  city  walls,  overlooks  all  the 
river  with  its  shipping,  and  the.,  modern  city  with  its 
life  bubbling  over  the  Spanish  Bridge. 

There  are  certain  inhabitants  of  the  citadel  which 
apparently  object  most  strongly  to  our  occupation, 
as  upon  the  slightest  relaxation  of  vigilance  they 
descend  in  numbers  and  steal  everything  in  sight — 
small  monkeys,  which  run  shrieking  and  chattering 
all  over  the  fortress.  All  sorts  of  traps  have  been 
laid  for  them,  and  great  has  been  the  harvest.  I 


Rambles  in  Old  Manila          145 

counted  ten  shut  up  in  one  small  closet,  all  of  which 
had  been  captured  on  the  previous  day.  Many  of 
them  have  been  domesticated,  but  with  sad  results, 
as  no  amount  of  Western  education  will  make  a 
monkey  honest.  The  little  creatures  chatter  and 
threaten  us  as  we  pass  out  into  the  streets  of  the 
city.  The  sun  is  towards  his  setting,  and  we  leave 
the  shadows  of  the  old  town  to  enjoy  the  spectacu- 
lar display  he  is  sure  to  offer  ere  he  goes  to  rest. 
The  city  has  awakened  and  is  preparing  to  follow  us. 
As  the  cool  hours  of  the  day  approach,  one  will 
note  in  the  old  town  the  appearance  at  the  win- 
dows of  many  a  sweet-faced,  dark-eyed  Spanish 
beauty,  and  often,  in  the  shadows  of  the  street,  can 
be  seen  her  silent  lover,  for  thus,  from  afar,  is  the 
courting  done  in  Spanish  lands.  Day  after  day 
they  will  gaze  at  each  other  from  a  distance,  and  all 
the  while  the  old  duenna  sits  just  behind  the  girl  in 
the  shadow  of  the  casement.  If  the  young  people  de- 
cide— silently,  it  must  be — to  carry  matters  further, 
the  lover  approaches  the  father,  but  not  until  the 
full  betrothal  is  he  allowed  to  converse  with  his 
lady-love.  These  Spanish  beauties  soon  lose  all 
trace  of  good  looks,  and  I  fancy  it  is  largely  owing 
to  the  life  they  lead,  which  consists  in  doing  nothing 
all  day  long,  sleeping  just  as  long  as  possible,  and 
only  waking  up  to  dress  and  drive  when  the  sun  is 
setting.  As  they  grow  older  and  are  married,  they 
become  more  and  more  slovenly.  It  is  a  common 
sight  here  to  see  a  carriage  in  the  Luneta  with  three 
pretty  girls,  neatly  dressed,  attended  by  a  mother 
or  older  married  sister,  perfect  slovens;  looking  as 
though  they  had  not  dressed  at  all,  and  as  if  the 


146     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

simple  removal  of  a  dirty,  loose-fitting  wrapper 
would  find  them  ready  for  bed.  As  for  fresh  water, 
they  certainly  know  little  about  it,  and  if  you  sail 
on  a  Spanish  ship  you  will  find  the  bathrooms  used 
as  storerooms,  or,  if  the  ship  is  crowded,  with  beds 
made  on  or  in  them.  But  let  us  pass  outward  to 
the  "  Rotten  Row  "  of  Manila. 

The  Paseo  de  Santa  Lucia  and  the  Luneta,  form- 
ing together  the  fashionable  drive  of  Manila,  extend 
from  the  river  along  the  bay  for  about  two  miles. 
Starting  at  the  monument  of  Simon  de  Anda,  the 
former  runs  for  the  first  mile  in  front  of  the  old  city, 
the  deep  moat  of  which  bounds  it  on  the  left.  There 
the  ancient  town  is  seen  to  the  best  advantage,  as 
its  forts,  palaces,  cathedrals,  bishop's  palace,  and 
the  new  and  very  splendid  buildings  of  the  St. 
Augustines  front  that  side.  The  more  the  traveller 
contemplates  that  old  town  the  greater  becomes  his 
amazement  that  a  place  so  capable  of  stubborn  de- 
fence was  so  promptly  surrendered — but  it  has  sur- 
rendered, its  gates  all  stand  wide  open,  and  from 
them  pour  a  steady  stream  of  vehicles,  while  its 
walls  are  thronged  with  American  and  Spanish 
soldiers,  the  latter  prisoners  in  name,  watching  the 
passing  crowd  or  the  panorama  of  city,  river,  bay, 
and  distant  mountains. 

This  avenue  is  bordered  with  palm  trees,  but  the 
flowers  have  been  neglected.  Indeed,  the  Botani- 
cal Gardens  on  the  other  drive  have  been  entirely 
destroyed,  the  trees  having  been  cut  down  to  afford 
a  better  outlook  from  the  forts.  Admiral  Dewey's 
fleet  is  visible  down  the  harbour,  while  southward, 
near  the  suburbs  of  Malate,  the  monitor  Monadnock 


Rambles  in  Old  Manila          14? 

has  drawn  near  the  coast  and  trained  her  guns  on 
the  approach  to  the  city.  They  say  that  the  first 
appearance  of  those  engines  of  destruction,  the 
monitors,  sailing  past  fort  and  city  ended  all 
thoughts  of  resistance,  yet  there  are  four  great 
Krupp  cannon  yonder  that  with  the  proper  men 
behind  them  could  greatly  have  troubled  the  Mo- 
nadnock,  and  if  Manila  had  been  in  the  hands  of 
any  nation  save  Spain  they  would  have  been  used, 
despite  the  threats  of  our  Admiral. 

On  the  farther  section  of  this  Luneta  the  military 
executions  used  to  take  place,  and,  while  the  band 
played,  the  people  lined  up  in  their  carriages  to 
watch  them.  Political  criminals  were  generally 
shot. 

As  we  leave  the  Luneta  and  turn  towards  the  city 
nature  puts  her  most  gorgeous  colours  into  the  sun- 
set. From  the  Spanish  Bridge  the  river  and  ship- 
ping are  all  aflame,  while  the  old  walled  town  rises 
dark  and  gloomy  above  it,  until  the  sun  turns  the 
towers  and  domes  into  a  golden  glow.  Above,  the 
whole  background  of  the  sky  is  of  that  fair  turquoise 
blue  so  beautiful  in  the  dome  of  heaven,  and  across 
its  very  centre  pulsates  a  wonderful  river  of  rose 
colour,  while  trailing  banners  of  the  deepest  crimson 
are  flaunted  far  out  over  a  sea  dark  and  mysterious, 
save  where  its  bosom  ever  and  anon  reflects  the 
glory  above  it. 

In  the  avenues  of  Malate  last  evening  I  witnessed 
one  of  the  loveliest  sights  I  have  ever  seen  in  the 
tropics.  The  sunset  had  faded  and  night's  curtain 
had  descended,  when  I  became  aware  that  an  illum- 
ination of  some  extraordinary  sort  was  going  on 


148     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

all  around  me.  All  the  trees  great  and  small  up 
and  down  both  sides  of  the  avenue,  and  off  into  the 
plantations  on  either  hand,  suddenly  glowed  with 
what  seemed  to  be  myriads  of  small  electric  lights; 
little  globes  as  large  as  a  pea  hung  trembling  in 
countless  numbers  amidst  the  dark  green  leaves, 
glowing  and  quivering,  and  throwing  out  so  much 
light  that  the  effect  was  like  soft  moonlight;  it 
came  not  from  the  genius  of  Edison,  however,  but 
from  the  wondrous  storehouse  of  nature,  for  those 
lights  were  all  living  fireflies;  but  the  deception  was 
all  the  greater  because,  unlike  those  of  other  lands, 
they  clung  steadfastly  to  one  spot  and  glowed  with 
a  steady  silvery  light.  Nothing  in  nature  could  be 
more  beautiful,  especially  appearing,  as  it  did,  out 
of  that  deep  gloom  which  in  the  tropics  always  fol- 
lows the  gorgeousness  of  departing  day;  when, 
especially  here  in  Manila,  the  heavens,  night  after 
night,  declare  the  glory  of  God  as  they  rarely  seem 
to  do  elsewhere  on  earth.  I  watched  the  wonderful 
spectacle  of  the  fireflies  for  hours,  half  expecting  to 
hear  fairy  music  in  the  enchanted  silence,  and  to  see 
Titania  suddenly  appear  with  her  winged  court. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

THE   FRIARS 

The  Garrote — The  Observatory — The  Spanish  Bridge — Passage  of 
the  Archbishops  and  Governors-General — The  Circuit  of  the 
Old  City — The  Archiepiscopal  Residence — That  of  the  August- 
ines — The  Number  of  these  Institutions — Friars  of  the  Fifteenth 
Century  Have  Nothing  in  Common  with  Enlightened  Catholics 
— The  Procurators  in  Madrid — The  Fate  of  an  Enlightened 
Brother — Power  of  the  Friars  over  the  People — Dishonour — 
Prison  Record  of  Dorothea  Arteaga — Attempt  to  Serve  a  War- 
rant on  a  Friar — Vowed  to  Celibacy,  but  Chastity  is  Unknown — 
Boasts  of  a  Friar — Refusal  to  Bury  the  Dead — Destruction  of  the 
Churches  by  Infuriated  Natives — Names  of  the  Orders — Their 
Enormous  Wealth — The  Convent  of  Santa  Clara — A  Decoy 
House — Events  of  1888 — The  Secret  Passage — Condition  To- 
day— Attempted  Entrance — Chaplain  Stevens  of  the  I4th  Regu- 
lars and  his  Conflict  over  the  Schoolhouse — Aguinaldo's  Refusal 
and  the  Archbishop's  Commands — Opposition  of  the  Friars  to 
Enlightenment — Reports  from  Porto  Rico — Obligations  of  our 
Government — Confiscation  of  Paco  Cemetery — The  Golgotha — 
Purchase  of  a  Cemetery  for  the  Poor — Graves  of  our  Dead  in 
Paco  Campo  Santo — A  Soldier's  Funeral. 

TO-DAY  I  visited  the  prison  for  the  purpose  of 
seeing  the  garrote,  and  on  asking  for  it  was 
referred  to  the  office,  where  for  a  moment  I  waited, 
resting  against  a  wooden  upright  near  the  door. 
"  I  would  like  to  see  the  garrote." 
"  You  are  leaning  against  it,  sir." 
149 


1 50    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

'  That  harmless-looking  thing  ?  " 
'  Yes;  it  has  sent  over  forty  into  the  other  world 
to  my  knowledge." 

It  is  certainly  simplicity  itself — a  short,  square 
column  of  wood  some  four  feet  high,  with  a  wooden 
seat  on  one  side.  Near  the  top  at  the  height  of  a 
man's  neck  the  column  passes  through  a  parallel- 
ogram of  brass  some  four  inches  in  width  by  a  foot 
and  a  half  long,  the  front  of  which  opens  to  admit 
the  neck.  Through  the  back  of  this  and  through  the 
column  of  wood  passes  an  iron  screw  which  enters  a 
cross-bar  of  brass.  This  slides  forward  in  grooves 
cut  in  the  inner  face  of  the  parallelogram.  This 
cross-bar  is  round,  as  is  the  inner  face  of  the  front 
bar,  so  that  towards  the  neck,  front  and  back,  are 
presented  these  two  round  bars  of  brass.  The  back 
one  is  shoved  forward  by  a  turn  of  the  handle  on  the 
other  end  of  the  screw,  and  a  half-turn  of  that  handle 
is  sufficient  to  break  the  neck  and  cause  instant 
death.  A  full  turn  has  been  known  to  sever  the 
head  from  the  body.  There  is  no  piercing  the  neck 
by  a  needle  or  rod,  simply  this  sudden  pressure; 
the  head  falls  forward,  the  victim  gives  a  gasp,  and 
all  is  over.  Executions  by  the  garrote  are  said  to 
produce  painless,  instantaneous  death.  This  instru- 
ment looked  new  and  fresh.  There  were  no  stains 
of  any  sort  on  its  shining  metal  or  wood. 

It  was  pleasant  to  pass  from  the  contemplation  of 
man's  suffering  to  the  calm,  pure  atmosphere  of  the 
observatory,  where  I  was  received  by  two  Irish 
priests  who  spoke  excellent  English — perfect,  in 
fact.  One  of  them  showed  me  with  justifiable  pride 
the  interesting  institution  which  is  conducted  by  the 


THE  QARROTE,    MANILA. 


The  Friars  15 1 

Jesuits.  It  is  young,  but  seems  very  full  of  the 
finest  instruments.  Of  special  interest  were  those 
which  warn  of  the  coming  of  typhoons  and  mark 
their  course,  some  travelling  in  vast  circles  until  lost 
in  the  Pacific,  others  moving,  apparently,  as  straight 
as  a  crow  flies,  while  others  zigzagged  in  their  pass- 
age. Earthquakes  were  also  recorded  by  fine  black 
lines  on  white  paper.  The  sounds  from  the  under- 
world are  listened  for  and  recorded.  You  may  hear 
them  yourself  by  the  use  of  those  ear-trumpets,  but 
no  sound,  save  when  the  volcanic  forces  are  at  work, 
ever  comes  up  from  the  world  beneath  us.  To  de- 
scribe all  here  would  be  impossible.  The  library  is 
very  extensive  and  in  good  order.  Its  books  are  in 
all  languages.  Outside,  the  tower  for  a  large  tele- 
scope is  about  completed,  the  instrument  being 
already  in  place.  The  institution  is  also  a  school, 
and  has  several  hundred  students.  Apparently  the 
priests  are  in  favour  of  our  rule.  They  spoke  as 
though  they  were  of  us,  and  strongly  insisted  upon 
the  "  establishment  of  schools  as  soon  as  might  be 
for  the  teaching  of  OUR  language."  Their  clear 
faces  and  bright  calm  eyes  are  pleasant  to  look 
upon,  reminding  the  traveller  of  their  honourable 
brethren  at  home. 

The  Spanish  Bridge  connecting  the  old  town  with 
the  new  is  crowded  with  the  passing  multitude,  who 
are  kept  in  order  by  our  sentries.  The  approach  on 
the  north  is  steep,  and  the  little  street-cars  are 
drawn  up  at  the  usual  wild  rate  of  speed,  to  the  in- 
cessant tooting  of  a  shrill  tin  whistle.  Manila 
crowds  are  democratic  in  these  degenerate  days,  but 
had  you  chanced  to  pass  this  way  some  years  since, 


152     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

when  Spain  and  the  Church  were  in  full  power,  you 
might  have  witnessed  the  passing  of  the  Archbishop 
with  his  many  outriders,  and  if  so,  you  would  have 
stood  still  with  hat  off,  or  his  guards  would  have 
knocked  it  off  for  you,  with  no  care  as  to  whether  or 
not  they  knocked  your  head  off.  The  same  cere- 
mony was  insisted  upon  when  the  Governor-General 
passed  by  in  his  coach. 

To-day  I  saw  His  Grace  the  Prelate  as  he  left  his 
palace  in  the  old  town — left  it  quietly  and  with  no 
state.  I  had  but  a  glimpse  of  a  large,  black-browed 
and  olive-skinned  man  with  a  very  gloomy  expres- 
sion. To  his  credit  it  is  stated  that,  realising  the 
hopelessness  of  resistance,  he  urged  the  surrender  of 
the  city  in  the  name  of  humanity.  If  the  present 
state  of  affairs  does  not  please  him  he  has  to  thank 
his  friars  here  for  it.  Had  he  and  his  predecessors 
forced  these  men  to  imitate  their  brethren  in  Eng- 
land and  America,  these  islands  would  not  have  been 
in  the  state  they  are  to-day.  Leaving  the  door  of 
his  palace,  we  made  the  circuit  of  the  old  city,  pass- 
ing j ust  inside  the  walls.  The  ecclesiastical  buildings 
are  many  and  some  are  very  fine,  especially  that  of 
the  Augustines — which  is  next  to  the  archiepiscopal 
residence.  The  present  structure,  which  has  never 
been  finished,  and  which  probably  occupies  the  site 
of  an  older  one,  is  used  by  us  for  our  Spanish  prison- 
ers. Its  lower  story  is  of  dark  red  marble,  while  its 
upper  floor,  projecting  over  the  pavement,  is  of 
wood,  richly  carved  and  gilded.  A  small  gallery 
spanning  a  narrow  street  connects  this  building  with 
the  college,  whose  massive  walls,  gloomy  and  for- 
bidding, built  like  a  fortress  with  iron-barred  win- 


The  Friars  153 

dows,  have  more  the  appearance  of  a  prison  than  a 
college.  The  entire  group  reminds  the  observer  of 
the  palace  of  the  Doges,  the  prison,  and  the  connect- 
ing "  Bridge  of  Sighs." 

The  outer  circuit  of  the  city — within  the  walls — 
seems  given  over  to  these  institutions,  and  as  we 
pass,  numbers  of  friars  are  visible,  showing  that 
many  are  still  left  in  Manila,  though  many  more 
have  fled.  The  friars  of  the  Philippines  have  at  all 
times  been  the  real  power  in  these  islands.  They 
do  not  belong  to  the  present  age,  but  are  of  the 
fifteenth  century  and  have  nothing  in  common  with 
the  enlightened  Catholic  Church  of  Europe  and 
America.  They  hold  allegiance  in  name  only  to 
the  Pontiff.  They  have  enormous  wealth,  and  have 
used  it  to  bribe  the  authorities  at  Madrid,  who  have 
allowed  them  to  do  as  they  desired.  Each  order 
possesses  a  procurator  in  the  capital,  who  constantly 
guards  their  interests.  They  have  been  condemned 
at  all  times  openly  and  strongly  by  respectable 
members  of  the  Church  who  have  ventured  into 
these  islands.  If  an  enlightened,  progressive  brother 
was  sent  out  to  them  he  was  either  returned  at  once 
or"  disappeared."  I  am  told  that  this  happened 
but  a  few  years  ago. 

The  story  of  the  deaths  of  General  Solano  in  1860 
and  the  Bishop  of  Cebu  in  1873,  which  occurred  so 
opportunely  for  the  welfare  of  these  monastics, would 
prove  interesting  reading.  Such  has  been  the  power 
of  these  friars  over  these  people  for  centuries,  that 
they — the  people — have  been  led  to  accept  dishonour 
from  them  as  right  and  fitting,  but  they  have  not 
always  submitted. 


154     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

There  is  to  be  seen  among  the  prison  records  now 
in  the  hands  of  our  authorities,  one,  a  charge  of 
sacrilege  against  a  woman,  Dorothea  Arteaga,  who 
was  charged  with  stealing  a  chalice  from  the  altar; 
but  in  the  account  of  the  trial  the  real  reason — her 
opposition  to  dishonour — was  given.  We  are  told 
of  another  priest,  against  whom  a  warrant  had  been 
secured  by  the  friends  of  his  victim,  who  promptly 
shot  the  man  who  attempted  to  serve  it,  and  threat- 
ened to  shoot  anyone  who  should  repeat  the  at- 
tempt, and  that  ended  the  matter. 

'  Taken  as  a  whole,  it  would  be  impossible  to 
speak  with  too  great  severity  of  the  disrepute  into 
which  the  actions  of  these  dissolute  men  has  brought 
the  Roman  Catholic  religion  in  these  islands.  A  man 
of  God  on  whom  rests  the  most  solemn  vows  of  holi- 
ness, chastity,  and  poverty,  living  amongst  a  simple 
and  impressionable  race,  a  monster  of  iniquity,  an 
extensive  landowner  nursing  his  ill-gotten  wealth, 
a  monument  of  lechery  and  debauch.  Let  us  hasten 
to  add  that  the  Philippine  himself  is  far  from  being 
morally  immaculate.  The  priest  may  take  his 
daughter  or  his  sister  and  welcome,  for  the  offspring 
will  be  a  person  of  such  added  importance  as  Euro- 
pean blood  never  fails  to  give  in  Eastern  countries. 
But  the  islander  draws  the  line  firmly  at  his  wife  and 
equally  firmly  at  his  prospective  bride,  and  it  is  from 
wanton  straying  into  these  forbidden  pastures  that 
the  good  shepherd  has  been  mainly  instrumental  in 
bringing  his  country  into  trouble. 

"  So  aggressive  indeed  have  the  priests  become 
that  cases  were  actually  known  where  the  priest  had 
refused  at  the  altar  to  marry  a  couple,  having  him- 


The  Friars  155 

self  there  in  that  holy  place  cast  lecherous  eyes  over 
the  would-be  bride  and  determined  to  reserve  her 
for  his  own  base  desires.  Stories  about  the  priests 
are  so  numerous  and  so  well  authenticated  that  it  is 
impossible  for  any  impartial  person  not  to  acknow- 
ledge that  the  islanders  had  just  and  substantial 
grounds  for  including  a  sweeping  indictment  of  the 
whole  class  amongst  the  main  grievances  which  they 
had  against  the  Spanish  suzerainty. "  (The  Philip- 
pines, by  Major  Younghusband,  page  14.) 

These  friars  are  vowed  to  celibacy,  but  make  no 
pretence  of  leading,  or  of  being  expected  to  lead, 
chaste  or  pure  lives,  and  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that 
they  have  kept  their  mistresses  openly,  with  no  at- 
tempt at  concealment.  Foreman  in  his  book — a 
standard  work — on  the  islands  speaks  of  this,  and 
adds: 

"  Surely  the  present  state  of  these  islands  is  due 
to  the  pernicious  example  and  influence  of  these 
priests.  How  can  anyone  expect  anything  save 
oppression  and  robbery  when  those  in  charge  of 
their  souls'  welfare  and  their  hope  of  a  life  to  come 
set  them  so  degraded  an  example  !  Is  it  to  be 
wondered  at  that  the  Spanish  empire  fell,  and  who 
save  the  priesthood  are  to  blame  therefor  ?  " 

An  Englishman  who  has  lived  in  these  islands  for 
many  years  informed  me  that  a  friar  in  his  district 
in  the  country  boasted  of  his  "  conquests  "  among 
his  congregation  ;  the  gentleman  also  stated  that  his 
servant  one  day  came  to  him,  complaining  that  he 
could  not  get  his  child,  who  had  been  dead  four 
days,  buried,  unless  he  paid  the  priest  $16 — out  of  a 
salary  of  $20  per  month.  His  master,  becoming  in- 


i56    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

dignant,  decided  to  report  the  case  to  the  Governor, 
and  directed  his  man  to  bring  the  name  of  the  priest ; 
but  the  latter,  getting  wind  of  the  matter,  buried 
the  child.  The  dead  must  be  buried  in  this  climate 
on  the  day  they  die,  and  four  days  meant  a  horror 
for  all  concerned.  These  statements,  which  are  but 
a  fraction  of  the  whole,  can  all  be  proven,  and  if 
those  official  records  are  ever  printed  the  civilised 
world  will  be  horrified.  It  is  certainly  better  that 
such  things  should  be  made  known,  better  that  such 
actions  should  be  exposed  to  the  condemnation  of 
the  whole  world,  Catholic  and  Protestant,  that  not 
only  the  transgressors,  but  also  those  who  have 
aided  and  abetted  by  concealment  and  otherwise, 
be  impeached. 

Many  of  these  friars  have  now  fled  from  the 
islands  and  live  in  Hong  Kong  and  other  cities, 
but  in  view  of  what  is  known  of  their  horrid  lives 
and  terrible  practices  one  forgives  the  destruction  of 
their  churches.  The  edifices  have  been  desecrated 
by  their  presence  far  more  than  by  the  blows  of  the 
destroyers,  and  all  the  rains  of  heaven  will  not  wash 
them  pure  again.  The  orders  most  detested  by  the 
people  are  the  Dominicans,  Augustines,  Franciscans, 
and  Recollets.  The  Jesuits  should  not  be  included, 
as  they  are  not  of  that  stamp,  and  a  genuine  senti- 
ment in  their  favour  exists. 

It  will  be  stated  in  favour  of  these  orders  that 
whatever  education  or  advancement  these  people 
possess  is  due  to  these  instructors;  but  that  all  the 
good  they  have  ever  done  is  wiped  out  by  their  acts 
of  robbery,  oppression,  and  degradation  is  amply 
proved  by  the  intense  hatred  of  all  the  people  for 


The  Friars  157 

them — a  hatred  so  bitter  that  it  has  extended  to  the 
destruction  of  the  churches  where  their  families  have 
worshipped  for  centuries,  to  the  very  dead  in  their 
graves. 

If  the  insurgents  should  drive  us  out,  their  first 
act  would  be  wholesale  slaughter  of  the  friars,  guilty 
and  innocent,  and  this  we  cannot  permit.  Still, 
and  notwithstanding  all  this,  our  Government  must 
remember  that  these  friars  will  never  be  friendly  to 
America,  because  enlightenment  and  progress  mean 
death  and  destruction  to  their  power.  On  the  con- 
trary, they  will  at  the  first  signs  of  an  advance  from 
these  insurgents  join  forces  with  them  at  once,  trust- 
ing to  a  common  religion  and  language,  to  like  man- 
ners and  customs,  and  to  old  associations  to  regain 
for  them  their  lost  place  and  full  power. 

The  wealth  of  the  brethren  is  enormous  here, 
even  though  huge  sums  have  been  invested  else- 
where. They  own  largely  in  Hong  Kong,  Shanghai, 
and  at  many  other  points  under  the  English  flag. 

I  have  been  told  by  the  general  manager  in  the 
East  of  the  greatest  steamship  lines  to  the  East  that 
about  the  time  we  captured  Manila,  the  sick  in  her 
hospitals  were  informed  by  the  friars  that  there  was 
no  medicine,  nor  money  with  which  to  buy  it,  yet 
at  that  very  time  these  friars  sent  $27,000,000 
(Mexican)  to  Shanghai. 

They  have  been  an  absolute  power,  bowing  to 
none,  as  the  prison  records  demonstrate.  The 
memory  of  the  affair  of  the  Convent  of  Santa  Clara, 
which  occurred  but  ten  years  since,  in  1888,  is  still 
fresh  in  the  minds  of  the  English  who  reside  here. 
It  was  simply  a  decoy  house  into  which  girls  were 


158     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

enticed  by  the  friars,  and  into  which  one  was  de- 
coyed who  happened  to  be  more  respectable  or 
more  independent  than  the  others.  The  first  night 
she  fled  shrieking  through  the  building  and  man- 
aged to  get  out  on  the  roof,  where  she  made  herself 
heard  by  the  patrol,  who  broke  in  the  door.  Manila 
happened  at  that  time  to  have  an  honest,  honourable 
man  for  governor,  who  decided  to  make  investiga- 
tions. A  secret  passage  was  found  connecting  the 
building  with  an  adjoining  monastery.  The  results 
of  the  investigation  under  the  grass  of  the  court-yard 
scandalised  even  Manila.  The  affair  was  hushed  up, 
however,  by  the  power  of  the  Archbishop. 

The  Convent  of  Santa  Clara  was  founded  in  1621 
by  Geronima  de  la  Asuncion,  and  is  to-day  still  an 
institution  of  the  Middle  Ages.  Refusing  to  admit 
reforms,  she  was  expelled  by  the  friars,  but  was 
afterwards  restored  for  twenty  years.  Even  at  that 
period,  public  opinion  was  vividly  aroused  by  the 
horrible  reports  about  this  institution,  but  how  little 
effect  public  opinion  had  is  proved  by  the  suppres- 
sion of  the  incident  of  1888.  People  in  Manila 
strongly  hint  that  things  are  not  one  whit  better 
under  its  roof  to-day  than  in  1888.  It  stands  within 
the  walls  of  the  old  city,  close  by  the  official  offices 
of  the  Governor-General,  which  are  now  occupied 
by  General  Otis,  and  consists  of  a  mass  of  buildings 
surrounded  by  a  wall  thirty  feet  high,  old,  dark,  and 
so  solid  that  it  has  defied  the  passing  of  the  centuries 
and  the  tremblings  of  the  earth  which  shook  the  ad- 
jacent cathedral  into  "ruins.  Over  its  top  rises  the 
dome  of  the  convent  church,  and  the  long  roofs  of 
the  buildings  are  just  visible. 


The  Friars  159 

The  sun  shines  down  hot  and  brilliant  as  we  pound 
on  the  portal.  All  Manila  has  retired  for  its  daily 
siesta,  and  our  knocking  resounds  through  empty 
streets  and  quiet  courts  with  a  startling  sound.  A 
few  dogs  rise  up  to  bark  at  us,  but  no  human  being 
takes  note  or  mark.  We  are  told  that  the  convent 
at  this  time  is  empty,  and  one  of  our  sentries  near 
by  ventures  the  remark  that  "  none  save  the  dead 
live  there."  But  there  must  be  a  custodian  some- 
where within,  and  if  so,  he  shall  come  forth.  Our 
blows  on  the  ancient  portal  are  renewed  again  and 
again,  until  the  solid  shutters  of  a  grated  casement 
open  about  an  inch,  allowing  the  sharp  nose  and 
black  eyes  of  a  gaunt  old  man  to  be  seen.  He  re- 
gards us  in  silent  wonder  for  the  space  of  a  moment, 
then,  upon  seeing  that  we  are  bent  on  an  entrance 
and  are  of  the  race  of  his  conquerors,  one  of  us 
being  in  uniform,  he  closes  the  shutters  and  opens 
the  door,  admitting  us  to  a  long,  narrow  courtyard. 
On  the  right  rise  the  high  outer  walls,  on  the  left 
the  rear  of  the  convent  church,  and  beyond,  the 
buildings  of  the  institution,  its  long  roofs  decorated 
here  and  there  with  the  emblem  of  our  common  re- 
ligion, strangely  out  of  place  in  an  institution  with 
such  a  reputation. 

We  pause  to  inspect  the  main  portal,  a  stately 
structure  with  pillars  and  arches.  From  its  niches 
the  statues  of  many  saints  gaze  down  upon  us,  and 
all  is  old,  grey,  and  moss-grown.  Like  the  portals 
of  the  churches  it  is  very  massive,  has  evidently 
stood  for  many  centuries,  and  is,  with  some  ruined 
arches,  all  that  has  been  spared,  save  the  outer  walls, 
by  the  earthquakes.  Passing  within,  we  find  our- 


160    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

selves  in  a  lofty,  square  hall,  on  whose  white  walls 
hangs  a  large  painting  of  some  sacred  subject. 
There  is  a  barred  doorway  on  one  side,  and  a  small 
wicket  with  a  wooden  shutter  on  the  other. 

Well  ?  We  gaze  at  the  old  man,  and  he  returns 
our  regard.  Then  we  knock  on  the  door,  and  his 
glance  changes  to  one  of  horror,  while  the  woman 
who  has  followed  us  nearly  faints.  Suddenly,  on 
the  silence  which  ensues  upon  our  clatter,  there 
arises  the  sound  of  women's  voices  chanting  a  hymn, 
and  as  suddenly  the  ludicrousness  of  our  position 
strikes  not  only  ourselves,  but  the  old  man  and  the 
woman,  and  in  company  we  sit  down  and  laugh  until 
exhaustion  reduces  us  to  silence.  The  convent  is  not 
' '  empty, ' '  and  we  have  with  much  noise  and  clamour 
demanded  entrance  where  no  man  is  supposed  ever 
to  have  been.  The  old  porter  evidently  knows  the 
history  of  the  institution,  but  heretofore  the  silence 
of  night  has  shrouded  all  entrance  to  this  "  sacred  " 
institution.  Here,  however,  are  two  Americans  that 
come  at  high  noon,  disturb  his  slumbers  with  great 
clatter,  and  make  no  false  pretence  about  their  de- 
sire and  intention  of  entering  this  convent  of  Santa 
Clara.  "  What  next,  what  next  ?  " 

He  continues  to  chuckle,  and  the  old  woman  holds 
up  her  hands  in  pretended  horror  while  she  casts 
glances  of  admiration  at  my  handsome  young  com- 
panion, decked  out  in  a  white  uniform  with  gold 
straps.  We  wait  some  time  in  hopes  that  the  wicket 
may  open  and  the  Lady  Abbess  look  forth,  but  no 
sound  breaks  the  intense  stillness,  even  the  chant- 
ing voices  have  died  away  into  silence.  As  we  pass 
out  and  down  the  empty  courtyard,  the  custodian 


The  Friars  161 

takes  us  into  the  cool,  shadowy  church;  its  high 
altars  are  a  mass  of  gilding,  flowers,  embroideries, 
and  many  statues,  sacred  paintings  adorn  its  walls, 
and  across  one  end  runs  the  nuns'  gallery,  enclosed 
by  a  fine  latticework. 

Conveying  our  thanks  in  a  substantial  manner  to 
the  old  man,  we  depart,  greatly  disappointed  in  not 
having  found  the  Convent  of  Santa  Clara  empty  and 
open  for  inspection. 

So  much  for  the  past  history  of  these  friars — 
and,  in  this  connection,  it  will  be  well  to  relate  an 
incident  which  fully  demonstrates  the  position  they 
have  taken  towards  our  people,  an  incident  which 
came  under  my  personal  observation. 

Chaplain  Pierce  of  the  I4th  U.  S.  Infantry  was 
requested  by  a  delegation  of  Filipinos  to  perform 
certain  services,  such  as  the  burial  of  the  dead,  etc., 
for  them.  They  were  all  poor  people,  and  the 
priests  of  their  Church  had  refused  to  bury  the  dead 
unless  paid  for  that  service,  and  also  to  allow  a 
grave  unless  paid  for  it.  Hence  the  application  to 
the  American  chaplain.  That  the  prayer  was 
granted  goes  without  saying.  The  dead  were 
buried,  and  that  service  led  to  a  request  by  many 
for  religious  instruction.  A  schoolhouse  was  ob- 
tained and  a  service  was  held,  the  service  book 
of  the  Brotherhood  of  St.  Andrew  being  used. 
Promptly  the  priests  began  to  oppose  the  measure, 
and  the  schoolmaster  was  ordered  to  refuse  the  use 
of  his  building.  The  following  Sunday,  however, 
another  service  was  held  by  the  American  chaplain, 
whereupon  an  application  was  made  to  Aguinaldo 
to  forbid  it.  But,  to  his  credit  be  it  said,  he  replied 


162   -Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

that  "  the  patriots  had  decreed  the  separation  at 
once  and  forever  of  Church  and  State,  and  so  long 
as  he  held  command,  or  could  influence  matters, 
this  order  should  be  maintained." 

The  Archbishop  was  then  appealed  to,  and  he 
ordered  the  schoolmaster,  upon  pain  of  dismissal, 
to  close  his  house,  ordered  his  simple  furniture  re- 
moved, and  the  books  of  the  Brotherhood  of  St. 
Andrew  to  be  burned.  But  service  was  held,  no 
closing  or  burning  was  done,  and  our  flag  floats  over 
the  schoolhouse.  It  is  the  old,  old  story  dealt  with 
by  all  nations,  and  recently  by  Mexico — the  deter- 
mination of  the  ignorant  priests  to  prevent  the 
ingress  of  all  enlightenment,  knowing  that  it  means 
the  downfall  of  their  power.  In  this  nineteenth 
century,  in  most  countries,  they  have  come  to  the 
realisation  of  the  fact  that  the  world  has  advanced 
beyond  the  toleration  of  such  actions,  and  that  the 
intelligent  clergy  of  their  Church  of  to-day  will  not 
countenance  them.  Our  Government,  if  it  retains 
these  islands  and  those  of  the  West  Indies,  from 
whence  come  like  reports,  must  deal  with  these 
friars  with  a  strong  hand,  must  force  them  to  leave 
the  islands  if  they  in  any  way  attempt  to  interfere 
with  the  rights  of  man  to  worship  God  as  his  con- 
science dictates,  or  if  they  do  not  stop  their  de- 
bauchery of  the  people.  But  these  friars  rest  under 
the  impression  that  the  laws  of  three  centuries  ago 
will  still  be  held  in  force. 

The  United  States  Government  has  confiscated 
the  ancient  campo  santo  in  Paco — as  strange  a 
burial-place  as  our  boys  in  blue  have  ever  rested  in. 
It  stands  well  without  the  city,  and  is  unique  in 


The  Friars  .  163 

form.  The  campos  santos  of  Europe  are  generally 
square  enclosures,  with  walls  full  of  catacombs  rising 
tier  above  tier,  the  centre  being  a  rank  mass  of 
tangled  grasses.  This  one  is  a  vast  circle,  entered 
under  an  ancient,  moss-grown  gateway,  and  on 
either  side  the  walls  circle  away,  pierced  like  the 
others  by  the  rows  of  catacombs ;  but  here  there  is 
an  inner  circle,  also  entered  by  an  archway,  and  also 
full  of  the  catacombs.  Facing  the  entrance  and 
across  the  centre  stands  a  mortuary  chapel  where 
services  are  held,  and  behind  this  are  two  smaller 
circles  used  for  the  interment  of  children,  while  be- 
tween these  is  the  Golgotha,  its  stone  arch  bearing 
those  emblems  of  mortality,  the  skull  and  cross- 
bones;  and  on  either  side  of  this  arch  rise  two 
flights  of  steps.  Mounting  one  of  these,  the  visitor 
finds  himself  on  the  brink  of  a  high  semicircular 
pit,  full  of  the  remains  of  thousands  of  bodies,  all 
that  is  left  of  the  poor  dead  whose  relatives  have 
ceased  to  pay  the  tax  of  five  dollars  per  year  neces- 
sary to  their  retaining  their  graves,  and  so  all  that 
is  left  of  them  is  raked  out  and  cast  here,  where  the 
sunshine  and  rain  beat  them  year  by  year  more  and 
more  deeply  into  the  dust. 

Chaplain  Pierce  has  raised  a  fund  to  purchase  a 
spot  of  ground  where  the  dead  may  rest  until  called 
forth  by  God,  but  to  do  so  he  was  forced  to  pur- 
chase the  property  through  a  middleman,  a  native, 
the  priests  having  forbidden  the  sale  of  all  lands  to 
the  Americans.  Perhaps  our  Government  will  stand 
this,  and  perhaps  it  will  not.  At  any  rate,  it  has 
taken  possession  of  that  old  campo  santo,  and  the 
mounds  that  cover  our  dead  boys  in  blue  are  rising 


1 64    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

thick  and  fast  in  the  centre  thereof.  From  the  walls 
stare  the  names  and  titles  of  Old  Spain,  names  that 
bring  to  the  mind  memories  of  the  gypsies  dancing 
near  the  Darrow,  memories  of  the  Alhambra,  of  the 
grim  Escorial,  or  of  gay  Seville,  all  dead  "  for  love 
of  country  "  ;  but  on  the  marble  headstones  in  the 
centre  one  reads  names  that  bring  up  the  wild  free 
life  and  air  of  the  Rockies,  and  the  life  and  hope  of 
America.  The  eyes  grow  dim  as  they  gaze,  blotting 
out  the  little  flags  that  already  flutter  over  the  grass 
in  this  ancient  "  holy  field  "  of  Manila. 

As  we  depart  the  Dead  March  sounds  upon  the 
air  as  the  funeral  cortege  of  another  boy  in  blue 
comes  slowly  in  under  the  old  grey  archway.  We 
stand  with  bowed  heads  as  his  body  is  committed 
to  the  foreign  soil,  while  that  saddest  of  all  melo- 
dies, "  taps,"  sounds  his  requiem.  Peace  to  his 
ashes  and  to  his  soul!  Are  all  the  islands  of  the 
world  worth  the  destruction  of  a  dozen  such  as  he, 
or  the  sorrow  that  must  come  down  upon  his  home 
and  kindred,  where  perhaps  his  death  means  the 
loss  of  all  things  ? 


CHAPTER  XIX 

THE    "BROTHERHOOD  OF  BLOOD" 

Quarters  of  the  I4th  Regulars — Dinner  at  the  Mess — Rations  of  our 
Army  in  Manila — The  Hospitals  and  their  Corps — Condition  of 
the  Men  in  Manila — Excitement  in  the  City — "Brotherhood  of 
Human  Bloodhounds  " — The  Katipunan  Society — Its  Origin — 
Power — Operations  against  the  Spaniards — The  First  Plot — The 
Press  in  Manila — Punishment  of  a  Tagalo  by  a  Soldier. 

MUCH  of  my  time  is  spent  with  the  officers  of 
the  I4th  Regulars.  Their  quarters  in  Malate, 
close  by  the  waters  of  the  bay,  are  in  a  Spanish 
house,  and  a  private  house  in  Manila  is  most  attract- 
ive. There  is  nothing  magnificent  about  it,  but  it 
is  very  wide,  spacious,  and  airy.  In  plan  it  is 
always  square,  the  second  floor,  supported  by  orna- 
mental brackets,  overhanging  the  first  some  four 
feet,  and,  in  turn,  it  is  sheltered  by  a  roof  with  deep 
eaves.  The  structure  is  generally  white,  or  some 
pale  tint,  with  the  panels — it  is  always  built  of 
wood — outlined,  and  the  brackets  picked  out  in 
bright  colours.  It  is  placed  well  back  in  the  yard, 
embowered  in  brilliant  flowering  shrubs.  The  second 
floor  is  the  state  floor,  and  holds  all  the  living-rooms, 
which  are  attractive-looking  apartments  with  highly 
polished  parquetry.  A  wide  staircase  leads  to  a 

165 


1 66     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

large  square  hall  around  which  the  apartments  clus- 
ter, but  so  large  are  the  doors  of  communication  that 
it  seems,  as  regards  hall,  drawing-room,  reception- 
room,  and  dining-room,  to  be  one  apartment.  The 
bedrooms,  of  course,  are  more  private,  and  some  are 
on  the  ground  floor.  There  is  no  glass  used  in  the 
buildings,  except  in  the  show-windows  of  the  shops. 
For  a  cold  night  the  windows  of  the  dwellings  are 
protected  by  sliding  shutters,  the  small  squares  of 
which  are  filled  with  mica  or  a  thin  shell.  By  day 
the  sun  is  kept  out  by  a  set  of  Venetian  slats. 
When  both  of  these  are  drawn  back  the  entire  house 
stands  open  to  inspection  from  the  street,  and  during 
my  constant  drives  around  the  city  I  became  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  the  domestic  arrangements 
of  hundreds  of  our  soldiers.  At  the  headquarters 
of  the  I4th  Regulars,  I  can  generally  tell  who  is  at 
home  without  leaving  my  carriage.  The  officers  are 
never  all  there,  but  someone  is  sure  to  be  on  hand 
to  extend  a  welcome,  which  makes  Manila  seem 
very  near  home. 

Dinner  is  generally  served  at  seven  o'clock,  and 
the  time  at  the  table  is  spent  more  in  chaff  than  in 
disposing  of  what  is  set  before  us.  One  of  the 
officers,  Lieutenant  Mitchell,  an  Irishman,  is  one 
of  the  oldest  lieutenants  in  our  army,  and  has  served 
all  through  the  Civil  and  Indian  wars.  He  has  a 
full  measure  of  the  wit  of  his  native  land,  and  also 
of  its  hasty  temper,  which  the  other  officers  delight 
to  ruffle.  But  all  like  him.  He  is  a  general  favour- 
ite and  will  be  greatly  mourned.*  The  rations  of  the 
mess  are  all  that  can  be  desired — plain,  but  good, 

*  Poor  fellow,  he  was  killed  in  the  first  engagement  a  month  later. 


"The  Brotherhood  of  Blood "     167 

and  there  is  plenty  of  it.  I  have  noticed  that  our 
entire  forces  are  well  supplied  with  wholesome  food 
— excellent  beef  brought  from  Australia,  good  bread, 
and  good  coffee.  The  men  fare  as  well  as  the  offi- 
cers. The  hospitals  and  their  corps  are  also  re- 
ported to  be  in  fine  condition  and  well  managed, 
and  have  there  ever  been  reports  to  the  contrary  ? — 
yet,  this  is  Manila,  thousands  of  miles  from  home; 
almost  as  far  as  was  Montauk  Point! 

Is,  or  is  not,  this  state  of  affairs  in  Manila  a  criti- 
cism upon  the  camp  at  Montauk  ?  I  have  been 
asked  by  several  men  over  here  why,  as  Montauk 
was  "  approved  "  as  a  camp  site  in  June,  the  essen- 
tials of  a  camp  were  not  at  once  placed  there ;  why 
no  move  was  made  until  one  week  before  the  hospi- 
tal ships  arrived  in  August.  It  certainly  was  known 
that  they  would  come,  and  surely  they  would  be 
ordered  to  a  site  "  approved  "  weeks  before.  I 
have  also  been  asked  why  the  hotel  at  Fire  Island 
— owned  by  the  Government — was  not  used  for  the 
sick  and  dying,  or  why  others  such  as  that  at  Long 
Beach  were  not  purchased.  I  confess  that  I  could 
not  answer  the  questions. 

What  may  be  the  result  upon  our  soldiers  of  a 
summer  in  these  islands  remains  to  be  seen,  but 
certainly  up  to  this  time — January  15,  1899 — they 
all  appear  to  be  in  good  condition,  happy,  and 
contented. 

The  drive  back  from  Manila  to  the  city  takes  one 
past  barracks  after  barracks,  all  crowded  with  our 
soldiers,  apparently  having  a  very  good  time.  Many 
of  the  old  Spanish  barracks  are  in  use,  but,  being 
insufficient,  vast  buildings  of  framework,  walled 


1 68    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

with  matting  and  heavily  thatched,  have  been 
erected.  They  are  all  raised  some  three  feet  from 
the  ground,  are  but  one  story  in  height,  and  are 
composed  chiefly  of  vast,  open  windows.  There- 
fore the  danger  from  fire  cannot  be  great,  and  fire- 
escapes  are  certainly  not  necessary.  The  men  are 
at  their  ease,  but  I  notice  that  their  guns  stand 
stacked  near  by,  and  the  sentries  are  many  and 
vigilant. 

January  14.,  1899. — There  seems  to  be  an  unusual 
amount  of  subdued  excitement  to-night !  Rumours 
of  all  sorts  fill  the  city,  and  the  monitor  Monadnock 
is  constantly  sweeping  the  country  down  by  Malate 
with  her  powerful  search-lights.  The  Monterey  has 
steam  up,  ready  to  join  her  on  call.  Instructions 
are  to  the  soldiers  to  be  prepared  to-morrow  with 
pick  and  spade  to  throw  up  earthworks  if  necessary, 
and  the  announcement  was  sent  to  all  headquarters 
that  the  rebels  would  come  around  to  church  to- 
morrow and  begin  operations  all  over  town  immedi- 
ately thereafter.  They  are  allowed  during  the  day 
to  come  and  go — without  arms — as  they  please,  and 
our  men  have  orders  to  avoid  all  hostilities.  Yes- 
terday, when  our  sentries  fell  back  half  a  mile  to 
avoid  a  party  of  insurgents,  our  boys  were  indignant 
and  sure  of  treachery.  It  will  go  hard  with  these 
people  when  they  press  our  men  too  far.  They  will 
find  no  cowards,  as  they  now  believe  each  and  every 
American  to  be. 

Nine  P.M.  brings  rumours  that  the  attack  is  to  be 
made  to-night.  The  Escolta  is  deserted,  and  foreign 
flags  are  everywhere.  An  English  one  floats  over 
the  hotel  just  before  my  window.  I  have  no  idea 


The  "  Brotherhood  of  Blood  "     169 

that  the  peace  will  be  disturbed  just  yet,  and  I  really 
think,  if  we  can  avoid  a  conflict  and  keep  on  the 
even  tenor  of  our  way,  yielding  nothing,  and  ceas- 
ing all  communications  or  proclamations  to  the  so- 
called  leaders,  that  matters  will  quiet  down;  that 
trade  interests  will  effect  what  no  proclamation  will 
do ;  that  the  people,  finding  they  are  dealt  honestly 
and  justly  by,  and  have  nothing  to  find  fault  with, 
will  return  to  work  and  business;  and  that,  the 
wheels  of  commerce  once  started,  self-interest  and 
the  acquisition  of  wealth  will  settle  the  matter.  As 
affairs  stand  now,  these  people  have  no  standard  to 
judge  us  by,  save  the  Spanish,  and  they  fully  believe 
that  our  treatment  of  them  will  be  as  bad  as  that 
they  have  received  during  the  last  three  centuries. 
It  will  be  seen  further  along  that  the  English  mer- 
chants here  do  not  agree  with  my  idea  in  the  very 
least. 

The  plot  of  the  "  Brotherhood  of  Human  Blood- 
hounds "  to  massacre  all  the  Americans  in  Manila 
last  week,  which  was  frustrated  by  the  vigilance  of 
General  E.  S.  Otis,  is  now  believed  to  have  been 
planned  by  the  Tagal  natives.  Three  men  were 
told  off  to  finish  each  American  officer,  but,  being 
forewarned,  the  danger  was  slight. 

These  human  bloodhounds  are  the  lowest  order 
of  the  Tagalos.  They  have  the  keenness  of  scent 
of  animals,  and  are  bound  together  by  a  "  blood 
brotherhood."  This  is  a  secret  society  known  as 
the  Katipunan. 

The  peculiar  acuteness  of  the  Tagalos'  scent  is  so 
great  that  the  appearance  of  the  nose  itself  is  some- 
what different  to  that  in  the  rest  of  the  human  race, 


1 70    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

the  nostrils  having  such  power  of  dilation  and  ex- 
pansion in  action  that  they  make  long-drawn  lines 
upon  the  cheeks,  reaching  to  the  eye. 

The  Katipunan  society  to  which  they  belong  was 
organised  seven  or  eight  years  before  the  outbreak 
of  the  rebellion  against  the  Spanish — which  began 
in  the  Philippines  in  1896.  It  was  originally  formed 
with  the  intention  of  resisting  the  Spanish  tax  ex- 
actions and  oppressive  local  laws. 

From  this  it  drifted  into  a  society  of  immense 
power.  It  included  among  its  members  the  richest 
and  most  educated  of  the  Mestizos  and  also  a  num- 
ber of  native  priests  when  it  commenced  its  aggres- 
sive operations  against  the  Spanish  Government, 
and  the  rebellion  of  1896  was  inaugurated.  For 
sixteen  months  the  island  of  Luzon  was  devastated 
by  a  war  which  for  ferocious  cruelties  on  the  part  of 
the  Spaniards  and  fearful  retaliations  on  the  part  of 
the  Filipinos  has  scarcely  ever  been  equalled. 

The ' '  blood  brotherhood  ' '  mark  of  the  Katipunan 
is  made  generally  on  the  left  forearm,  though  some- 
times on  the  left  knee,  by  a  curious  knife  covered 
with  symbols  of  the  society. 

All  who  join  the  Katipunans  sign  the  roll  in  their 
own  blood,  the  third  finger  of  the  left  hand  being 
pricked  at  the  tip  until  the  blood  runs,  and  with  that 
blood  they  sign.  Then,  as  a  sure  sign  of  member- 
ship, a  vein  is  opened  in  the  left  forearm  in  such 
fashion  that  the  wound  will  certainly  leave  a  scar, 
or  else  a  wound  is  made  in  the  left  breast  that  will 
leave  a  round  scar  like  a  vaccination  mark. 

The  first  great  plot  of  the  Katipunan  society  was 
to  assassinate  General  Blanco  when  he  was  Governor 


The  "  Brotherhood  of  Blood  "     171 

of  the  Philippines.  The  date  set  for  this  was  Sep- 
tember 15,  1896,  and  it  was  planned  to  take  advant- 
age of  the  confusion  following  his  death  to  slaughter 
all  the  Spaniards,  and  seize  the  citadel  and  the  for- 
tifications of  Manila,  with  its  batteries,  arsenal,  and 
barracks. 

One  press  correspondent  has  gone  to  bed  dis- 
gusted because  of  my  prophecy  that  there  will  be 
no  disturbance  of  the  city  during  the  night.  A 
steady  downpour  of  rain  comes  about  midnight  and 
lasts  all  night.  I  know  that  that  has  ended  it  for 
the  time,  and  so  it  proves,  as  morning  finds  the 
town  peaceful  and  quiet.  There  is  nothing  like  an 
application  of  water  for  these  nations.  The  New 
York  Fire  Department,  if  it  could  be  transported 
here  in  working  order  and  full  power,  would  end 
this  question  in  the  city  promptly.  In  fact,  what 
fire  force  they  have  here  will  be  most  effective  in 
case  of  a  street  disturbance. 

There  are  two  English  newspapers  in  Manila,  The 
Times  and  The  Announcer.  The  latter  came  out 
yesterday  and  stated  that  there  were  four  thousand 
Spanish  prisoners  over  in  the  old  town  that  had  en- 
listed with  the  insurgents.  There  were  several  other 
statements  not  calculated  to  smooth  matters  for  the 

Americans.  J of  The  Times  states  that  had 

that  notice  appeared  in  his  paper  it  would  have 
"  promptly  been  held  up  by  the  powers  that  be," 
and  that  he  was  called  to  account  because  he  termed 
Aguinaldo's  proclamation  "  hysterical."  What  does 
this  mean  ?  Has  the  freedom  of  the  press  passed 
away  ?  Why  is  one  paper  favoured  and  another 
suppressed  ?  Surely  nothing  could  be  more  in- 


1 72     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

offensive  than  The  Times.  I  was  asked  yesterday 
if  I  would  carry  a  package  of  dispatches  to  Hong 
Kong,  as  nothing  of  any  importance  was  allowed 
to  pass  our  censors. 

Sunday  has  gone  by  with  no  disturbance  of  the 
city's  calm.  Monday  brings  two  alarms  of  fire,  and 
consequently  a  general  call  for  the  entire  force. 
Even  now  comes  another,  and  the  Escolta  is  filled 
with  rushing  soldiers  in  blue  and  brown,  white-clad 
Spaniards,  dark-skinned  Filipinos,  slow-going  bul- 
lock-carts, rapidly  moving  carriages,  and  ponies  of 
all  shapes  and  sizes,  all  getting  out  of  the  path  of 
supposed  danger.  In  less  than  half  an  hour  the 
entire  lot  comes  back  laughing. 

As  we  are  about  to  start  for  a  drive  to  our  out- 
posts, where  I  fancy  we  shall  find  a  very  wet  lot  of 
boys,  judging  by  last  night's  rain,  we  witness  a 
scene  between  a  Spanish  officer  and  a  Tagalo  which 
is  strongly  indicative  of  the  feelings  between  the 
races.  The  officer  was  walking  quietly  along  when 
the  Tagalo  suddenly  spat  in  his  face.  A  fight 
quickly  ensued  which  brought  our  sentry  promptly 
to  the  spot.  When  he  fully  understood  the  cause 
of  the  disturbance  he  handed  his  gun  to  the  Span- 
iard, and,  taking  the  latter's  cane,  gave  the  Tagalo 
a  sound  thrashing,  which  was  not  lessened  in  its 
thoroughness  by  our  applause. 

Personally  I  have  experienced  but  one  act  of 
hostility  from  the  Spaniards  since  my  arrival.  It 
occurred  this  morning  as  I  was  standing  on  the  curb 
enjoying  the  ever-changing  panorama  of  the  Escolta. 
An  officer  in  passing  suddenly  jabbed  me  in  the  ribs 
with  such  force  as  almost  to  throw  me  into  the  street. 


The  " Brotherhood  of  Blood"     173 

I  think  he  thought  that  I  was  one  of  his  own  race,  as 
I  am  somewhat  swarthy,  and  was  dressed  in  white 
with  a  broad-brimmed  hat;  but,  if  so,  my  remarks 
in  the  American  tongue  and  American  accent 
promptly  undeceived  him,  and  the  expression  of 
his  face  changed  to  terror  as  he  saw  me  speak  to 
one  of  our  sentries,  to  whom  I  related  the  incident, 
at  the  same  time  refusing,  to  the  sentry's  disgust, 
to  point  out  the  man.  He  had  been  punished 
enough,  to  judge  from  his  scared  face  fleeing  up  the 
street  before  us.  As  we  passed  along  I  asked  one 
man — from  Dakota — if  he  expected  to  be  assassin- 
ated, but  he  answered,  "  There  are  not  enough 
niggers  in  the  islands  to  kill  us  off."  Perhaps  not, 
if  it  were  a  fair,  open  fight. 

Many  ladies  have  taken  refuge  on  the  ships  in  the 
harbour,  and  if  matters  grow  really  serious  many 

more  of  them  will  go  to  the  fort.     Colonel  F 

invites  me  to  make  the  move,  but  this  hotel  is  safe 
enough,  and  one  sees  everything  here  on  the  Escolta. 


CHAPTER  XX- 

TRIBES  OF  THE  ISLANDS — PHILIPPINE   LEADERS 

Origin  of  the  Filipinos — The  Negritos — The  Gaddanes — The  Head- 
Hunters — The  Fire  Tree — Our  Men  in  this  Climate — Spain  and 
the  Hill  Tribes— The  Tagalos— Their  Love  of  Dress— Native 
Costume — Aguinaldo  and  his  Associates — Their  Robbery  of  the 
People — Their  Condition  and  Desires — Their  Characters — Chi- 
nese "  Houses  of  Pleasure  " — The  Dishonesty  of  the  People — 
The  Impossibility  of  a  Protectorate  over  these  People — Position 
of  the  United  States— Our  Knowledge  of  the  Outer  World. 

THE  origin  of  the  peoples  of  these  islands  is  a 
matter  of  dispute.  Chili,  Peru,  and  Malaysia 
are  all  mentioned  as  their  cradles.  The  Negritos 
are  found  in  all  parts  of  the  archipelago.  Foreman 
says  that  they  are  cowardly  and  will  only  attack  a 
retreating  foe,  or  from  behind  safe  defences.  That 
seems  to  be  a  characteristic  of  all  these  peoples. 
The  Negritos  are  wonderfully  swift  runners;  they 
are  spirit-worshippers;  they  respect  age  and  the 
dead,  and  in  the  latter  characteristic  are  certainly 
the  superior  of  the  Tagalos.  They  possess  little  or 
no  intellect.  They  always  live  in  the  mountains, 
and,  like  the  blacks  of  Australia,  their  natural  in- 
stincts force  them  at  times  to  return  to  their  old 
lives  and  pursuits,  no  matter  how  long  they  may 


Tribes  of  the  Islands  175 

have  dwelled  amidst  civilised  people,  or  how  much 
care  has  been  taken  with  their  education. 

The  Gaddanes  in  the  northern  end  of  Luzon  are 
the  most  ferocious  tribe  on  the  island.  No  attempt 
has  been  made  to  civilise  or  even  subdue  them. 
They  are  the  head-  or  scalp-hunters,  and  a  bride- 
groom always  presents  his  father-in-law  with  all 
such  trophies  that  he  can  capture.  When  the  "  fire 
tree"  blooms  they  go  on  the  war-path,  celebrate 
certain  rites,  and  it  will  be  well  to  be  absent  at  that 
period.  With  the  arrow  and  lance  they  can  accom- 
plish wonders.  Have  we  a  William  Penn  in  our 
land  who  can  reach  and  affect  these  people  ?  If  we 
try  subjugation,  we  shall  once  more  pass  through  a 
period  like  that  in  our  own  land  from  1620  to  the 
present  day,  and  our  men  cannot  endure  this  climate 
as  our  race  has  done  that  of  America  throughout  the 
long  period  of  our  struggle  with  the  Indians.  Save 
when  on  the  war-path,  these  people  are  lazy  and 
indolent. 

Spain  has  never  in  any  way  conquered  these 
islands,  though  she  has  possessed  more  power  in 
Luzon  than  elsewhere.  On  one  island,  Mindanao, 
a  sultan  holds  supreme  authority,  merely  paying  a 
small  tribute  to  Spain.  On  another  she  has  held 
a  few  coast  towns,  while  all  the  interior  was  given 
over  to  savages  —  savages  worshipping  the  sun, 
wood,  and  stone.  In  the  northern  end  of  Luzon, 
even  the  insurgents  will  not  travel  in  parties  of  less 
than  twenty,  for  fear  of  the  Negritos  and  head- 
hunters,  of  which  there  are  from  sixty  to  eighty 
thousand.  These  tribes  have  never  known  anything 
about  Spain  or  any  other  nation  outside  of  their  own 


1 76     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

race,  yet  they  are  probably  as  well  qualified  to  be- 
come enfranchised  Americans  as  are  many  of  the 
immigrants  that  are  annually  landed  in  New  York. 

Had  England  found  in  the  Maoris  of  New  Zealand 
such  a  race  as  any  of  these,  her  story  to-day  would 
have  been  far  different  in  that  island,  and  her  only 
hope  would  have  been  extermination.  She  has  had 
no  success  with  the  blacks  of  Australia,  who  are  fast 
dying  out.  Her  conquest  of  India  was  over  races 
that  could  scarcely  be  considered  barbarous,  and  that 
were  far  from  savages.  We  may  call  them  heathen, 
but  races  that  can  produce  the  Taj  Mahal,  the 
mosques  of  Delhi  and  of  Agra,  the  temples  at  Tanjore 
and  Rameswaram,  cannot  be  called  even  barbarous. 
These  mountain  tribes  are  savages  like  our  own,  and 
worse,  and  our  success  with  our  home  product  has 
not  been  much  to  be  proud  of.  The  Tagalos,  who 
claim  to  be  the  patriots,  and  with  whom  we  are  at 
war,  are  but  one  race  among  many.  They  are 
about  up  to  the  average  Malay  races  in  stature,  but 
are  rather  inferior  as  to  intellect.  Certainly  they 
are  not  to  be  compared  mentally  to  the  Maoris  of 
New  Zealand. 

It  would  seem  that  a  love  of  dress  is  not,  under 
all  circumstances,  undesirable,  as,  in  the  case  of 
these  Tagalos,  the  market  for  European  goods,  such 
as  hats  and  shoes,  is  larger  than  in  all  British  and 
Dutch  East  India.  One's  servant  is  often  better 
shod  and  covered  than  one's  self.  He  will  not  wear 
shoes  of  English  make — they  are  too  heavy  and 
coarse.  Those  from  Vienna  please  him  better. 

The  costume  of  the  men  consists  of  a  pair  of 
trousers  and  a  shirt,  the  latter  being  made  out  of  a 


TAQAL  WOMAN,   MANILA. 


Tribes  of  the  Islands  177 

thin  gauze  material,  perfectly  transparent,  and  often 
embroidered.  The  dress  of  the  women  is  more  dis- 
tinctly national,  and  is  very  picturesque.  They 
wear  no  stockings,  but  thrust  the  bare  feet  into  a 
pair  of  high-heel  pattens  with  wooden  soles  and 
velvet  tips.  There  is  nothing  to  hold  them  on  save 
these  tips,  yet  the  wearers  move  along  swiftly  and 
in  a  stately  fashion.  The  rest  of  the  costume  seems 
composed  of  a  white  undergarment,  low-necked  and 
short-sleeved,  a  full  skirt  of  calico  or  silk,  sometimes 
with  a  train,  be  the  wearer  ever  so  youthful,  over 
which  is  worn  a  long  black  silk  apron,  which  crosses 
behind.  The  most  distinctive  garment,  however,  is 
the  low-necked  jacket  which  falls  short  of  the  belt, 
and  has  wide,  full,  but  short,  elbow  sleeves.  A 
white  kerchief  is  often  worn  around  the  neck,  and 
the  hair  is  neatly  twisted  on  the  head.  They  look 
clean,  yet  from  the  toilet  scenes  which  one  con- 
stantly witnesses,  one  is  forced  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  is  but  an  appearance. 

Notwithstanding  the  instructions  of  the  friars,  the 
natives  resemble  the  Burmese  in  their  belief  as  to 
the  wandering  of  a  soul  from  a  sleeping  body,  and 
hence  their  dislike  to  awaken  anyone.  "  The  soul 
might  not  return."  The  Tagalo  feigns  friendship, 
but  has  no  loyalty,  and  is  a  remarkable  combination 
of  virtues  and  vice. 

Aguinaldo  is  a  full-blooded  Tagalo  of  about 
twenty-six  years  of  age,  medium  in  stature,  with 
short,  thick,  black  hair  worn  pompadour.  Some 
consider  him  sharp  and  shrewd,  but  it  is  generally 
believed  that  he  has  his  price,  though  it  would  be  a 
large  one.  It  is  also  claimed  that  he  is  swayed  in 


1 78     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

all  directions  by  the  different  parties,  all  of  which 
have  their  own  schemes  to  work  out,  and  any  one 
of  which  will  sell  out  the  others. 

They  have  already  enriched  themselves  at  the 
expense  of  their  people,  and  boast  thereof.  Of 
course  they  cannot  hope  to  retain  these  ill-gotten 
gains  if  we  hold  the  islands.  The  people  would 
give  us  but  little  trouble,  but  these  self-styled  pa- 
triots, self-appointed  rulers,  will  be  content  with 
but  one  condition  of  affairs:  First,  that  the  Ameri- 
can Government  shall  supply  a  chain  of  war-ships 
around  the  islands  to  keep  off  all  outside  interfer- 
ence. Second,  that  the  entire  management  of  the 
islands  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  this  gang  of  men, 
especially  all  offices  that  enable  them  to  carry  out 
the  methods  they  have  learned  from  three  centuries 
of  Spanish  teaching.  They  desire  particularly  the 
power  to  coin  money — for  themselves.  As  is  always 
the  case,  they  would  be  more  intolerant  of  the 
people,  from  whose  ranks  they  have  so  lately  risen, 
than  were  the  Spaniards.  What  character  of  men 
they  are  will  be  more  fully  understood  when  it  is 
known  that  Aguinaldo,  in  the  proclamation  of  his 
constitution,  announced  that  his  government  would 
"license  the  Chinese  houses  of  pleasure."  To  the  un- 
initiated this  sounds  innocent  enough,  yet  through 
such  "  pleasures  "  came  the  destruction  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah. 

It  would  be  difficult  to  find  anyone  in  Manila 
who  believes  in  the  patriotism  of  these  Tagalos. 
Money  will  buy  the  leaders  at  any  time.  As  for  the 
masses,  they  are  lazy  and  dishonest;  they  will  lie 
and  steal  to  the  very  last.  The  manager  of  one  of 


8  , 


Tribes  of  the  Islands  179 

the  large  banks  told  me  that  he  caught  a  boy  steal- 
ing some  gold  and  took  the  money  from  his  hand, 
yet  the  fellow  denied  having  touched  it.  Moral 
suasion  was  tried  to  induce  him  to  tell  why  he  had 
stolen  it,  but  he  again  denied  the  theft,  and,  upon 
being  flogged,  remarked,  "  Why  do  you  whip  me 
for  what  I  did  not  do  ?  "  Perhaps  under  different 
training  these  people  might  to-day  show  different 
results ;  perhaps  the  training  they  have  received  is 
the  direct  cause  of  these  results.  However  that 
may  be,  such  are  the  results,  and  it  is  rather  weari- 
some to  those  who  have  been  out  here,  and  who 
know  the  true  characters  of  these  people,  to  listen 
to  the  sentimental  and  ignorant  twaddle  at  some  of 
the  meetings  at  home  concerning  the  "  struggling 
patriotism  "  which  we  are  condemned  for  suppress- 
ing, and  to  hear  these  corrupt  and  degraded  leaders 
compared  to  Kossuth. 

It  has  been  announced  in  our  Senate  that  we  will 
merely  "  extend  a  protectorate  over  the  Philippine 
Islands  until  their  people  should  become  able  to 
govern  themselves. ' '  From  our  Anglo-Saxon  stand- 
point, when  will  that  be  ?  Will  we  consent  to  a 
continuance  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  Old 
Spain,  or  rather  to  an  exaggeration  of  those  manners 
and  customs? — for  such  it  would  be!  It  is  easy 
enough  to  contract  a  bad  habit,  but  it  is  quite 
another  matter  to  overcome  it.  I  fear  it  will  be 
somewhat  longer  than  three  hundred  years  before 
we  can  consider  these  people  "  fit  to  govern  them- 
selves," and  the  same  will  hold  true  in  Cuba.  And 
Santo  Domingo  and  Hayti  must  also  come  under 
our  dominion,  A  state  of  barbarity  exists  there 


i8o    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

which  would  rival  any  to  be  found  in  darkest 
Africa. 

If  the  United  States  had  desired  to  give  up  these 
islands,  or  rather  not  to  take  them,  she  should  have 
left  them  in  Spanish  hands.  We  cannot  return 
them  to  that  kingdom.  We  cannot  surrender  them 
to  any  other  nation,  even  to  England,  although  we 
might  be  willing  to  do  so  to  her.  We  certainly 
cannot  in  common  decency  and  humanity  abandon 
them  to  the  natives,  knowing  that  an  awful  state  of 
anarchy  would  ensue.  As  I  have  before  stated, 
the  so-called  rulers,  corrupt  in  every  way,  would 
promptly  make  cause  with  the  worst  class  of  the 
friars,  who  could  no  more  be  drawn  off  than  a  vul- 
ture from  the  "  Towers  of  Silence."  The  result 
would  be  chaos. 

If,  however,  those  two  powers  should  fail,  the 
people  would,  in  very  short  order,  return  to  a  state 
of  barbarity,  and  we  should  have  the  reproach  of 
the  whole  world.  Whether  we  like  it  or  not  we 
have  put  our  hand  to  the  plough,  or  the  handles 
thereof  have  been  placed  in  our  hands  by  a  Higher 
Power,  and  we  must  perform  the  allotted  task ;  and 
surely  there  are  none  in  America  willing  to  acknow- 
ledge that  we  are  not  capable  of  doing  so.  We 
must  learn — but  we  can  learn. 

There  are  some  examples  to  be  avoided,  notably 
that  of  Holland.  Through  selfishness,  she  has  built 
a  wall,  so  to  speak,  around  her  possessions  in  the 
East,  and  does  not  desire  them  to  hold  intercourse 
with  the  outer  world  save  through  herself.  The 
Dutch  cities  of  Java  are  beautiful  to  look  upon,  but 
the  government  is  hidebound  and  provincial.  It  has 


Tribes  of  the  Islands  181 

changed  little  since  the  days  of  the  famous  Dutch 
East  India  Company,  when  it  was  death  to  trade 
with  any  save  the  Dutch  in  the  four  great  spices.  The 
progress  of  the  nineteenth  century  has  alone  caused 
her  to  modify  that  at  all.  One  cannot  but  regret 
that  England  exchanged  those  islands  for  Ceylon. 
She  might  have  known  that  Ceylon  would  come  to 
her  under  any  circumstances,  and  the  condition  of 
affairs  in  Java  and  Sumatra  would  be  far  different  if 
the  English  flag  floated  there  to-day,  while  the 
world  would  not  be  in  such  comparative  ignorance 
concerning  them  as  we  find  it. 

Our  people  should  attempt  to  in  some  degree  ap- 
preciate the  work  other  nations  are  doing  in  the 
outer  world,  and  thereby  fully  understand  the  place 
America  must  take,  the  work  she  must  do,  and  her 
duty  to  the  rest  of  mankind,  unless  she  means  to 
build  a  wall  around  herself  for  all  time,  unless  she 
means  to  lead  a  purely  selfish  life,  and  thereby  be- 
come the  laughing-stock  of  the  nations,  while  she 
lays  herself  open  to  just  contempt. 


CHAPTER  XXI 

TRADE   IN   THE   PHILIPPINES 

Siege  by  the  British — Return  to  Savage  Instincts — Unable  to  Govern 
Themselves — Spain's  Dealing  with  the  People — Smuggling  in 
Money — The  Mexican  Dollar — English  Opinion  of  the  Islands 
— Mountains  and  Rivers — Effect  of  Railways — Dissatisfaction 
over  our  Tariff — English  Clubs — English  Advice  and  Opinion 
of  the  Tagalos. 

THE  successful  siege  of  Manila  by  the  British  in 
1762  needs  no  further  mention.  The  fierce 
quarrels  which  followed  their  evacuation  of  that  city 
would  be  enacted  to-day  if  we  were  to  surrender  to 
the  natives — quarrels  which  ended  only  after  great 
loss  of  life.  There  seems  to  have  been  a  constant 
succession  of  rebellions  down  to  the  present  time. 
Foreman,  in  his  most  interesting  book,  The  Philip- 
pine Islands,  states  that  had  these  rebellions  suc- 
ceeded they  would  have  produced  "  a  state  of 
protracted  anarchy,  intensified  by  the  return  of  the 
wayward  natives  to  their  savage  instincts,  for  they 
are  far  from  being  able  to  govern  themselves  on  any 
civilised  plan." 

The  government  and  local  administration  have 
cost  some  $350,000  per  annum,  of  which  $40,000 
went  to  the  Governor-General ;  but  that  was  but  a 

182 


Trade  in  the  Philippines          183 

drop  in  the  bucket  that  each  sent  away,  pressed 
down  and  running  over.  There  have  been  honest 
governors  in  these  islands,  but  they  have  been  few 
and  far  between,  and  their  lives  have  not  been 
happy.  I  am  told  by  one  who  has  lived  in  Manila 
for  twelve  years  that  in  all  that  time  he  has  never 
met  a  Spanish  official  who  could  speak  the  native 
tongue.  These  officials  never  remained  longer  than 
three  years,  and  rarely  so  long,  and  made  no  at- 
tempt to  learn  the  language,  nor  did  they  take  any 
interest  in  the  natives  save  to  rob  and  debauch 
them. 

Spain's  manner  of  dealing  with  the  half-castes 
was  in  marked  distinction  to  that  of  Holland  in  the 
East.  The  latter  Government,  after  educating  this 
race,  gave  them  the  opportunity  to  utilise  that  edu- 
cation by  means  of  the  many  positions  and  offices 
of  the  land.  But  not  so  with  Spain.  She  estab- 
lished colleges  and  schools,  gave  a  certain  education, 
but  there  it  stopped,  and  the  half-castes  and  natives 
were  not  allowed  to  occupy  any  of  the  governmental 
offices.  Every  post  and  position  which  was  worth 
a  dollar  was  given  only  to  Spaniards.  Of  course, 
this  produced  discontent  and,  in  the  end,  rebellion. 

Hard  times  came  in  Manila  with  the  depreciation 
of  silver.  Up  to  that  time  gold  had  been  more 
plentiful  than  the  white  metal.  The  Mexican  dol- 
lar— worth  about  fifty  cents — was  introduced,  and 
the  Government,  desiring  to  stop  this,  instead  of 
declaring  that  it  would  not  be  a  legal  tender,  at- 
tempted to  prohibit  its  importation.  Of  course,  the 
people  at  once  took  to  smuggling  the  white  metal. 
If  discovered,  the  smuggler  lost  a  quarter  of  his 


1 84    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

holdings,  the  other  three  quarters  being  returned  to 
him  on  the  ship  and  sent  out  of  the  country.  It  is 
unnecessary  to  state  that  the  high  officials  who  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  detection  got  the  lion's  share 
of  that  "  quarter,"  while  the  Government  got 
nothing,  and  the  actual  detective  little  more.  This 
could  end  in  but  one  way:  the  detection  ceased, 
and  the  detectives  went  into  the  business  in  partner- 
ship with  the  ship's  captain.  Then  the  Government 
declared  that  only  the  coins — Mexican — prior  to  a 
certain  date  would  be  accepted  as  legal  tender.  At 
once  an  immense  and  profitable  business  in  old 
coins  began.  At  Hong  Kong  and  Singapore  every 
ship  brought  in  a  lot,  and  ten  and  fifteen  per  cent, 
was  cleared  in  a  day  or  so  on  these  transactions. 
All  of  the  officials  joined  in,  and  the  Spanish  con- 
sul at  Singapore  was  in  the  habit  of  sending  a  hun- 
dred dollars  over  by  every  ship,  a  favour  in  which 
the  captain  must  oblige  him,  or  stand  the  chances 
of  being  injured  through  the  papers,  etc. 

Through  all  this,  poor  Spain  slept  on  and  on,  and 
if  questioned  put  it  all  off  to  maftana,  that  fatal  day 
for  the  old  empire,  and  again  slept  on  and  on,  while 
her  children  cut  her  throat  and  sucked  out  her  life- 
blood. 

The  English  here  hold  that  these  islands  are  of 
the  greatest  value  as  to  trade,  that  they  produce 
almost  everything  needful,  but  as  yet  they  have 
scarcely  been  scratched,  so  to  speak.  Coal  is  found 
in  great  abundance,  and  it  is  supposed  that  the 
precious  metals  abound. 

The  real  wealth,  however,  is  drawn  from  the  raw 
materials  obtained  by  agriculture  and  forest  produce. 


Trade  in  the  Philippines          185 

Cigars  are  manufactured  in  large  quantities,  but 
some  claim  that  they  do  not  stand  a  long  voyage, 
and  would  not  be  fresh  in  America.  It  is  also  said 
that  they  are  not  well  made.  So  far,  sugar  and 
hemp  appear  to  be  the  greatest  staples  of  the 
islands.  Coffee  is  not  produced  on  a  very  extensive 
scale.  There  is  but  one  crop  a  year,  while  in  the 
West  Indies  the  berry  may  be  gathered  during 
eight  months  of  the  year.  Tobacco  was  brought 
here  from  Mexico  in  the  earliest  days  by  the  priests. 
It  has  been  a  Government  monopoly  in  the  island 
of  Luzon,  but  does  not  appear  to  have  been  so  in 
the  other  islands  of  the  archipelago. 

The  climate  of  Luzon  is  only  semi-tropical,  as  the 
foliage  testifies.  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Manila 
there  are  mountains  of  eight  thousand  feet  in  alti- 
tude, upon  which  all  climates  may  be  found,  and 
there  delightful  houses  and  sanitariums  could  be 
built.  The  island  of  Luzon  has  one  river  of  great 
size — the  Rio  Grande,  which  flows  from  the  south 
to  the  north,  and  must  be  at  least  two  hundred 
miles  in  length.  The  volume  of  water  is  very  great. 

In  the  Philippines  the  building  of  those  great 
civilisers,  the  railways,  should  be  pushed  to  the 
utmost.  Their  construction  will,  more  than  any- 
thing else,  tend  to  open  up  the  country  and  settle 
the  disputed  points,  and  in  their  construction  we 
can  use  Chinese  labour.  It  is  the  general  opinion 
among  business  men  in  Manila  that  we  would  be 
wise  to  do  so.  There  are  plenty  of  that  race  now 
here,  and  they  can  endure  the  climate  and  will  work, 
whereas  labourers  from  our  country  cannot  endure 
the  climate,  and  the  natives  will  not  work.  The 


1 86     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

English  merchants  in  Manila  are  becoming  very  dis- 
satisfied with  the  present  condition  of  trade.  They 
claim  that  it  is  much  worse  than  when  the  Spaniards 
had  control,  for  then  the  wheels  did  move,  though 
bribery  was  often  necessary.  Still  the  amounts  de- 
manded were  nothing  when  compared  with  the  duties 
exacted  by  our  laws,  and  which  have  completely 
paralysed  all  business,  and  will,  they  claim,  if  con- 
tinued, end  in  the  undoing  of  Manila. 

At  present  the  American  Government  holds  only 
this  city,  which  does  not  represent  Luzon  by  a  large 
majority.  All  of  the  rest  of  the  island  is  in  the 
hands  of  the  insurgents,  who  carry  out  the  old 
Spanish  customs.  Naturally  this  will  end  in  busi- 
ness seeking  those  outlets  and  inlets.  It  is  inter- 
esting to  listen  to  the  conversation  at  the  Tiffin 
Club  and  the  English  Club,  which  are  frequented 
by  all  the  bankers  and  business  men  of  the  city.  I 
asked  one  of  them  what  England  would  have  done 
if  in  our  place. 

'  Taken  all  the  ports  at  least,  and  at  once,  for 
only  thereby  can  you  control  the  trade.  The  con- 
quest of  the  rest  of  the  islands  could  be  left  to  time. 
But  your  idea  that  the  return  of  business  prosper- 
ity, and  a  possible  increase  of  money  to  the  nation, 
would,  in  any  way,  influence  these  Tagalos,  is  not 
correct.  They  are  too  idle  and  lazy,  and  care  abso- 
lutely nothing  about  money,  or  the  things  money 
can  buy.  A  poor  man  in  England  will  have  some 
few  household  goods,  which  will  force  him  to  have 
an  abiding-place,  but  these  people  own  nothing, 
absolutely  nothing,  save  a  change  of  clothing,  and 
not  always  or  often  that  much.  Their  houses  are 


Trade  in  the  Philippines          187 

devoid  of  all  furniture;  they  sleep  on  mats,  which 
being  rolled  around  their  clothes  can  be  carried  on 
a  man's  head,  and  the  family  is  ready  to  move. 
Where  to,  is  a  matter  which  concerns  them  not  at 
all.  Any  shelter  will  answer.  As  for  food,  they 
live  on  rice,  bananas,  and  dried  fish ;  the  first  two 
items  cost  nothing  at  all,  and  the  last  a  mere  song. 
They  have  no  ambition,  they  beat  their  women, 
and  offer  their  daughters  to  any  white  man  for  a 
small  sum.  Indeed  such  a  relation  is  considered 
an  honour  to  the  girl,  especially  if  it  results  in 
a  child  which  will  be  whiter  than  herself.  Their 
only  redeeming  trait  is  a  faithfulness  after  mar- 
riage, and  short  shrift  would  the  woman  or  her 
lover  receive  if  discovered.  Their  knives  are  long 
and  sharp." 

I  had  to  confess  that  we  knew  nothing  at  all 
about  colonisation,  and  was  promptly  asked  why 
then  we  did  not  ask  England  to  help  us — that  was 
a  thing  "  she  could  do,  and  was  very  willing  to  do. 
She  has  a  large  colonial  force  of  clerks,  etc.,  also 
higher  officers,  who  understand  this  work  through 
years  of  experience.  She  has  native  soldiers,  from 
her  colonies,  accustomed  to  these  climates,  and 
policemen  in  the  habit  of  dealing  with  Asiatics. 
She  could  carry  on  the  whole  matter  for  a  few 
years,  or  until  the  United  States  was  ready  for  the 
work,  when  she  would  hand  back  the  islands  for 
your  guidance.  The  resources  of  the  Philippines 
are  enormous,  yet  not  even  a  fraction  thereof  has 
been  developed.  The  English  know  all  this,  and 
your  people  should  know  it,  but  it  is  terrible  for  us 
to  have  business  interests  choked  and  at  a  stand- 


1 88     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

still,  and  this  will  continue  as  long  as  your  tariff  is 
applied  here." 

It  is  very  evident  that  England  would  be  de- 
lighted to  obtain  possession  of  these  islands,  and  no 
doubt  would  gladly  exchange  her  West  Indies  for 
them.  Those  islands  would,  of  course,  be  infinitely 
less  care  to  us,  but,  from  a  trade  standpoint,  are  not 
to  be  compared  to  the  Philippines.  If  we  make  the 
trade,  let  us  do  so  with  full  comprehension. 


CHAPTER  XXII 

CAVITE 

Impossible  to  Travel  through  the  Islands — Courtesy  of  Admiral 
Dewey — His  Appearance  and  Character — Manila  Bay — Our 
Fleet — The  Spanish  Ships — Cavite — Fortress  and  Arsenal — Its 
Appearance — Desecrated  Churches — Ruined  Alameda — Forts  of 
the  Town — End  of  the  Spanish  Empire— The  Pageant  of  Cen- 
turies— Spain's  Present  Condition  and  Opportunities — Depart- 
ure on  the  Zaf.ro — Island  of  Corregidor — The  Southern  Cross 
— Spanish  Prizes — Hong  Kong — -Affected  by  the  War — China 
the  Coming  Country — Old  Shanghai  and  its  Horrors. 

IT  is  with  great  regret  that  I  leave  Manila  without 
having  travelled  through  the  islands,  but  in  the 
present  state  of  unrest  it  is  not  possible.  Our  own 
authorities  can  offer  no  protection  and  do  not  want 
travellers  to  go,  and  I  cannot  but  appreciate  their 
reasons,  and  bow  to  their  decision.  If  known  as  an 
American,  I  should  probably  be  imprisoned  or 
killed,  all  of  which  would  make  trouble.  It  might 
be  possible  to  go  if  I  were  willing  to  pass  as  an  Eng- 
lishman, but  pride  alone  would  prevent  an  American 
in  Manila  from  sailing  under  any  colours  save  his 
own. 

It  is  certainly  the  proper  thing  to  say  farewell  to 
the  city  from  the  midst  of  Admiral  Dewey's  fleet. 
Thanks  to  the  courtesy  of  the  Admiral,  I  am  leaving 

189 


1 90    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

on  the  Government  ship  Zafiro,  which  is  used  as  a 
dispatch-boat  between  here  and  Hong  Kong,  and 
have  been  requested  to  be  at  the  custom-house  dock 
at  1 1  A.M.,  in  order  to  be  taken  on  board.  As  I 
pass  to  the  wharf,  the  launch  of  the  Admiral  steams 
up  and  he  comes  out  of  the  door  just  behind  me. 

Admiral  Dewey  seems  to  possess  the  quality 
which  made  the  first  Napoleon  great,  i.  e.,  the 
ability  to  move  while  his  enemies  are  yet  thinking. 
He  is  a  much  better-looking  man  than  his  portraits 
would  lead  one  to  expect.  His  face  is  delicate  and 
refined,  but  full  of  strength.  His  dark  eyes  express 
great  determination,  and  his  firm  chin  carries  out 
the  expression.  I  was  strongly  reminded  as  I  looked 
at  him  of  those  words  in  Whittier's  Snow-Bound: 
"  A  prompt,  decisive  man,  no  breath  our  father 
wasted  :  '  Boys,  a  path !  '  I  for  one  cannot  but 
think,  with  all  due  consideration  for  the  present 
Governor  of  Manila,  that  if  Admiral  Dewey  had 
been  appointed  to  that  post,  there  would  long  since 
have  been  made  "  a  path  "  to  that  goal  from  which 
we  seem  afar  off  just  now.  The  Admiral,  how- 
ever, is  one  of  the  President's  new  board  in  these 
islands,  and  his  influence  will  undoubtedly  be 
strongly  felt. 

We  did  not  see  the  great  bay  of  Manila  on  our 
way  in,  as  we  arrived  at  early  dawn ;  but  leaving 
now  at  ii  A.M.,  we  have  full  sight  of  it  on  the  way 
out,  and  a  beautiful  vision  it  is  with  its  shores 
sweeping  north  and  south  in  magnificent  circles, 
its  waters  sparkling  under  a  brilliant  sun.  The  bay 
is  as  large  as  Port  Philip  in  Australia,  and  the 
scenery  is  far  more  beautiful,  as  it  is  bordered  by 


Cavite  191 

mountains  from  four  to  seven  thousand  five  hundred 
feet  in  height,  Mount  Ararat  to  the  north  being 
somewhat  higher  than  our  Mount  Washington. 

As  to  exact  size,  the  surveys  show  the  bay  to  be 
some  forty  miles  from  north  to  south,  and  twenty- 
seven  from  Manila  to  the  island  of  Corregidor, 
which  blocks  its  entrance ;  and  save  for  the  channels 
on  either  side  of  this  island,  it  is  completely  land- 
locked, and  would  furnish  refuge  for  all  the  ship- 
ping of  the  world. 

The  old  city  glows  with  a  rosy  light  as  our  ship 
steams  westward.  Behind  the  country  is  green  and 
beautiful,  and  far  inland  the  mountains  rise  a  dark 
blue  mass  against  a  darker  sky. 

Cavite  is  reached  either  in  a  small  tug  or  in  the 
Government  launch,  but  it  is  more  interesting  to  go 
in  the  latter,  as  it  carries  the  mails  to  all  of  the 
fleet.  The  bay  is  full  of  transports — but  no  flag  is 
to  be  seen  save  our  own,  except  on  the  Spanish 
steamers,  where  the  red  and  yellow  looks  very  lonely. 
We  first  reach  our  man-of-war  Concord,  then  the  flag- 
ship Olympia,  then  the  Charleston  and  the  Boston, 
and,  finally,  the  two  monitors  Monterey  and  Monad- 
nock  ;  all  have  steam  up,  all  are  painted  grey  and 
are  very  warlike  in  appearance.  Yonder  are  several 
merchantmen  at  anchor,  and  one  full-rigged  ship, 
the  Vigilant  of  Boston.  There  are,  also,  several 
Spanish  men-o'-war,  all  out  of  commission  just  at 
present,  and  likely  to  remain  so.  There  could  have 
been  very  little  water  beneath  their  keels  when  they 
sank,  as  even  now  boats  on  their  davits  would  not 
touch  the  surface  line.  Four  wrecks  lie  near  Cavite 
Point,  and  one  or  two  farther  out.  Three  ships 


192     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

have  been  raised  and  are  now  at  Hong  Kong,  and 
two  more  are  here. 

The  fortress,  arsenal,  and  town  of  Cavite  are  on 
an  island,  connected  by  a  causeway  with  the  main- 
land ;  but  to-day,  on  account  of  threatened  troubles, 
no  one  is  allowed  to  pass  beyond  the  causeway. 

Our  officers  say  that  for  several  days  the  natives 
have  been  leaving  this  town,  and  Manila  as  well. 
Looking  backward  towards  that  city,  we  see  that 
the  whole  valley  behind  it  is  clouded  with  the 
smoke  of  many  fires.  What  it  means  no  one  can 
yet  tell,  but  all  the  troops  and  war-ships  are  under 
orders  to  be  prepared  to  act  at  a  moment's  notice. 

On  approaching  Cavite,  a  small  fort  is  noticed  on 
its  extreme  point,  with  the  muzzles  of  several  can- 
non projecting  over  the  top,  and  several  more  can 
be  discovered  turned  topsy-turvy.  This  enclosure 
is  a  small  one,  with  antiquated  walls,  and  it  could 
not  have  made  any  great  show  of  resistance.  Back 
of  the  arsenal  are  the  workshops,  officers'  quarters, 
and  parade-ground,  while  along  the  open  sea  to  the 
right  stretch  the  long  line  of  the  defences. 

But  first  we  visit  the  old  city,  leaving  the  forts  for 
our  return  trip.  It  is  a  melancholy,  out-of-the-way 
sort  of  a  place,  which,  since  the  destruction  by  the 
insurgents,  presents  a  scene  of  utter  desolation. 
The  long  narrow  streets,  bordered  by  the  usual  two- 
storied  houses,  stretch  away,  empty  and  deserted, 
save  by  our  soldiers  and  a  handful  of  natives,  to  the 
public  squares.  American  voices  and  language  fur- 
nish the  only  sounds  of  life  which  greet  our  ears. 
A  church  on  the  public  square  stands  rifled  and 
desecrated,  and  of  the  five  sacred  edifices  of  the 


Cavite  193 

town,  all  save  one  are  in  the  same  condition ;  that 
one  is  still  used  for  sacred  purposes.  Near  the 
Alameda  stands  the  cathedral,  outwardly  as  it  has 
stood  for  three  centuries,  but  within  it  is  empty 
and  wretched.  The  altar  is  destroyed,  the  cloisters 
are  a  mass  of  ruins,  and  with  the  exception  of  some 
general  who  still  rests,  as  he  has  rested  for  two 
hundred  and  fifty  years,  under  his  marble  slab  be- 
fore the  eastern  portal  of  the  church,  even  the 
graves  have  been  dug  up  and  their  contents  thrown 
to  the  winds  of  heaven.  All  this  destruction  was 
wrought  by  the  insurgents. 

Throughout  the  ruins  of  this  once  crowded  place 
of  rest  and  prayer  we  are  the  only  living  things, 
and  the  echo  of  our  footsteps  takes  on  an  almost 
sobbing  tone  as  they  die  away  into  silence.  Passing 
into  the  Alameda,  which  stretches  by  the  sea,  deso- 
lation again  prevails.  Trees  are  torn  and  broken  as 
though  a  tempest  had  passed  by,  the  band-stand  is 
a  ruin,  the  houses  are  closed  and  in  decay,  and  a 
marble  statue,  "  a  Cristobal  Colon,"  erected  only  a 
few  years  since,  stands  headless  and  tottering  to  its 
fall. 

From  the  Alameda  toward  the  Point  extend  the 
main  fortifications.  They  are  constructed  of  a  por- 
ous stone  into  which  the  cannon-balls  sink  like 
water  into  a  sponge,  shattering  little  or  not  at  all. 
Every  here  and  there  are  bastions  where  cannon 
should  have  been  put,  but  were  not.  On  the  inner 
side  are  the  barracks  and  storehouses,  and  at  one 
end  is  a  somewhat  more  pretentious  bit  of  fortifica- 
tion, but  it  has  no  strength  to  withstand  modern 

ordnance,  and  it  would  appear  that  in  so  far  as  the 
13 


194    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

immediate  fortifications  of  the  town  are  concerned, 
the  destruction  by  time  has  been  much  greater  than 
by  the  guns  of  our  fleet.  At  least,  it  is  difficult  to 
discern  which  is  which. 

Looking  seaward,  the  Spanish  flag-ship,  sunken 
and  wrecked,  is  the  first  object  which  strikes  the 
eye.  One  funnel  still  stands  erect,  the  other  is  half 
overturned,  the  destruction  of  the  craft  being  so 
complete  that  it  would  be  useless  to  attempt  to  raise 
and  repair  it.  Here  and  there  are  the  other  Spanish 
ships  in  like  condition,  and  off  beyond  them  rides 
our  fleet,  presenting  an  entirely  uninjured  appear- 
ance, a  gigantic  appearance  when  compared  to  the 
greatest  of  those  of  Spain.  I  really  believe  that  the 
Olympia,  alone  and  unaided,  could  have  performed 
the  entire  task  of  destruction. 

So  the  end  has  come — the  sunken  wrecks  here  at 
Cavite  and  outside  of  Santiago  mark  the  close  of 
the  ancient  power  of  Spain.  The  mind  must  be 
dead  indeed  that  will  not  travel  backward  into  the 
past  as  it  contemplates  the  scenes  of  all  this  un- 
doing. How  the  panorama  of  the  past  unrolls  itself 
as  one  gazes  on  the  placid  waters  of  Manila  Bay, 
where  rests  this  portion  of  the  last  of  the  empire's 
fleets!  The  pageant  of  the  centuries  moving  across 
one's  mental  vision  causes  one's  thoughts,  travelling 
eastward,  to  pause  an  instant  at  the  name  of  Pizarro, 
and  the  conquest  of  the  Incas  and  South  America; 
causes  the  mind  to  linger  in  the  City  of  Mexico, 
calling  up  the  sights  that  Cortez  witnessed — the  high 
"  teocalli  "  with  their  human  sacrifices,  Montezuma 
and  his  fantastic  pageants,  all  swept  away  in  the 
waves  of  blood  which  followed  the  advent  of  the 


Cavite  195 

Cross  of  Christ.  Eastward  yet,  one's  fancy  wanders 
to  Cuba  and  that  fair  circle  of  isles  of  the  sea  that 
saw  Spain's  first  adventurers  to  those  western  lands, 
eastward  again  until  the  vast  empire  of  Charles  V. 
stands  forth  on  the  pages  of  history.  Then  Spain 
ruled  the  world.  But  even  then  the  tide  had 
turned — even  then  the  Inquisition,  by  its  utter  dis- 
regard of  all  the  rights  of  men,  had  signed  her  death- 
warrant. 

The  brilliant  reign  of  Charles  V.  was  the  culmina- 
tion of  Spain's  glory  and  power.  After  his  death 
came  the  long  struggle  with  the  "  Low  Countries  " 
and  their  final  independence,  which  left  Spain 
financially  exhausted  and  shorn  of  some  of  her 
richest  possessions.  The  expulsion  of  the  Moors 
in  1610,  which  drove  half  a  million  of  her  best  crafts- 
men with  their  arts  and  industries  from  the  land,  was 
another  serious  blow  to  her  prosperity.  If  Spain 
had  had  enlightened  and  progressive  rulers,  her 
future  would  have  been  far  different ;  but  fate  willed 
it  otherwise.  The  disciples  of  Torquemada  ruined 
the  land  itself,  Drake  swept  the  great  Armada  from 
the  ocean.  Philip  died  broken-hearted  in  the 
gloomy  Escorial,  tortured  by  remorse  for  the  young 
Don  Carlos  and  the  beautiful  Elizabeth  of  France — 
died  by  a  death  more  horrible  than  any  invented 
by  his  Inquisition ;  and  thereafter  the  kingdom  lost 
more  and  more  of  her  splendour  and  of  her  colonies. 

As  the  years  passed  on,  all  in  North  and  South 
America  and  Mexico  were  lost  to  her,  and  all  of  the 
islands  of  the  seas  save  Cuba,  Porto  Rico,  and  these 
Philippines,  and  now  the  youngest  nation  on  earth 
has  taken  those  from  her,  and  her  day  is  done.  The 


196    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

corruption  of  centuries  has  met  its  just  reward. 
The  panorama  has  rolled  away,  the  curtain  has 
fallen  forever  on  the  ancient  empire;  if,  however, 
there  is  any  honesty  of  purpose,  any  desire  for  en- 
lightenment and  progress,  her  rulers  may  yet  make 
a  nation  out  of  what  is  left.  But  they  must  change 
her  record.  It  must  no  longer  show  that  eleven 
millions  out  of  eighteen  millions  of  her  own  home 
people  cannot  read  or  write.  All  the  world  wishes 
her  well,  but  she  must  awaken  to  the  fact  that  this 
is  the  nineteenth  century,  and  that  the  Dark  Ages, 
with  their  manners  and  customs,  their  tortures,  op- 
pression, and  bloodshed,  are  gone  forever.  The 
waters  of  the  bay  breaking  around  the  wrecks  and 
on  the  beach  beneath  this  old  fortress  seem  to  mur- 
mur, "  Forever,  forever."  The  brilliant  Stars  and 
Stripes  on  yonder  Olympia,  and  the  bright  red 
banner  on  the  English  man-o'-war,  proclaim  in 
louder  tones,  "  Forever  and  forever." 

Is  it  possible  that  a  sight  of  their  lurid  banner  can 
raise  in  the  breasts  of  the  Spaniards  any  such  feeling 
as  the  people  of  England  or  America  experience 
when  they  greet  their  flags  ?  Can  they  in  any  de- 
gree appreciate  the  German  word  "  Fatherland  "  ? 
The  crimson  and  gold  of  their  national  emblem  has 
meant  to  the  masses  the  sacrifice  of  millions  of 
their  brethren  in  foreign  wars,  meant  the  power  of 
the  classes  to  oppress  the  people,  meant  the  utter 
absence  of  all  right  or  justice  to  the  latter — there- 
fore, how  can  they  love  it  as  we  do  ours  ? 

A  wild  shriek  from  the  Zafiro 's  whistle  warns  us 
that  we  must  get  on  board.  Ships  and  men  move 
with  promptness  in  the  Philippines  nowadays.  Our 


Cavite  197 

ship's  anchor  is  hoisted  and  we  are  under  way  be- 
fore we  can  mount  the  companionway,  and  she 
does  not  pause  even  to  salute  the  Olympia,  though 
the  Admiral  is  plainly  visible  on  the  quarter-deck. 
The  waters  are  as  placid  as  a  mirror,  reflecting  each 
vessel  and  wreck  and  launch  ;  even  the  flags  are  per- 
fectly repeated  until  the  waves  produced  by  our 
craft  turn  the  phantom  banners  into  a  blurred  mass. 
Manila  glows  with  a  rosy  light  at  the  foot  of  her  en- 
circling mountains,  while  to  the  westward  rise  the 
dark  masses  of  Corregidor,  under  whose  cliffs  we 
pass  as  we  make  for  open  sea. 

This  island  of  Corregidor  will  in  time  be  the  great 
pleasure  and  seaside  resort  of  Manila.  The  top  of 
its  lighthouse  rises  six  hundred  and  thirty  feet  above 
the  sea,  and  when  Manila  is  sweltering  Corregidor 
is  always  cool  and  delightful. 

Back  in  the  seventeenth  century  a  girl  of  seven- 
teen years,  who  had  taken  the  veil  in  the  Santa 
Clara  Convent,  responded  to  the  love-making  of  a 
Franciscan  monk.  An  elopement  followed,  which 
of  course  created  great  scandal.  They  were  pursued 
and  finally  found  in  a  sad  condition  on  Camaya. 
The  friar  had  been  nearly  killed  in  his  attempts  to 
protect  the  maiden  from  the  natives,  who  admired 
her  as  much  as  he  did,  and  considered  him  selfish. 
They  were  captured  by  an  alderman  and  his  staff 
who  had  pursued  them  from  Manila,  the  friar  being 
sent  off  to  teach  morality  to  the  Visaya  tribes,  the 
maiden  to  perpetual  imprisonment  in  some  convent 
in  Mexico ;  and  one  cannot  but  wonder  whether  that 
poor  body  once  immured  in  the  walls  of  the  convent 
of  Santo  Domingo,  and  now  to  be  seen  in  the  Na- 


198    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

tional  Museum  in  that  city,  was  not  this  romantic 
and  unfortunate  maiden.  This  elopement  gave  the 
name  to  Corregidor  (alderman)  and  the  rocks  to 
the  right  and  left  of  it,  Fraile  (friar)  and  Monja 
(nun),  while  the  refuge  is  called  after  the  girl — 
Marivelas. 

With  one  last  glance  towards  the  lights  of  Corregi- 
dor, we  turn  away  from  Manila,  but  even  as  we  do 
so,  the  clouds  separate  above  the  harbour,  and  the 
gleaming  constellation  of  the  Southern  Cross  sails 
high  in  the  heavens,  a  constellation  usually  as  coy 
as  a  beautiful  maiden,  and  not  often  revealed  in  its 
full  glory,  but  when  it  does  stand  forth  with  its  at- 
tendant pointers  upon  the  deep,  dark  background 
of  the  southern  sky,  it  is  magnificent,  and  in  such 
guise  we  leave  it  on  guard  over  these  new  posses- 
sions of  ours — leave  it  with  the  hope  that  it  may 
bring  them  greater  peace  than  the  Christian  Cross 
has  done ;  but  the  Christian  Cross  yet  abides  and  is 
served  by  other  disciples. 

Two  naval  officers  are  the  only  other  passengers 
on  this  ship.  There  is  no  cargo,  and  before  we  turn 
in,  the  restless  China  Sea  has  seized  upon  the  craft 
and  commenced  to  toss  it  to  and  fro.  For  three 
days  it  reels  onward  like  a  drunken  man,  and  our 
state  the  while  is  not  a  happy  one ;  but  all  things 
have  an  ending,  and  Sunday  finds  us  in  Hong  Kong 
just  in  season  to  board  the  English  mail  for  the 
north.  I  am  taken  ashore  in  a  launch  whose  owner 
declines  any  payment  because  "  your  people  have 
left  so  much  money  here  as  it  is." 

I  have  but  a  few  hours  to  spare  here  before  the 
Ballaarat  sails  for  Shanghai,  and  employ  the  time 


Cavite  199 

in  a  visit  to  the  Spanish  ships  which  we  have  raised 
and  sent  over  for  repairs — the  Isla  de  Cuba,  Isla  de 
Luzon,  and  the  Don  Juan  de  Austria.  It  is  said 
that  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  will  put  these 
ships  in  good  order  and  make  them  very  service- 
able, but  they  are  sorry-looking  sights  now,  and,  to 
the  uninitiated,  appear  scarcely  worth  the  trouble 
and  expense.  Six  months  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea 
(they  were  burned  by  the  Spaniards)  has  reduced 
them  to  a  mass  of  rusty  metal  thickly  covered  with 
barnacles.  That  they  could  cross  the  tempestuous 
China  Sea  under  their  own  steam  is  a  marvel,  and 
speaks  much  for  their  construction  and  worth. 

Hong  Kong  is  an  evidence  that  this  section  of 
the  world  is  on  a  forward  march  of  great  importance. 
In  the  nine  years  which  have  elapsed  since  I  was 
here  last  the  city  has  improved  most  markedly. 
Whole  sections  have  been  reclaimed  from  the  bay, 
and  now  stand  covered  with  blocks  of  stately  build- 
ings, and  her  business  is  vastly  greater,  and  still  on 
the  increase.  That  affair  in  Manila  has  left  millions 
of  dollars  here,  and  a  real  opening  up  of  those  islands 
means  millions  more. 

China  is  the  objective  point  in  the  business  world 
at  present,  and  Shanghai,  so  it  is  prophesied,  will 
be  the  London  of  Asia.  The  new  railway  syndicates 
are  centred  there,  and  with  the  awakening  of  that 
nation  a  change  will  come  over  this  part  of  the 
world.  Mr.  L.  H.,  who  has  the  mining  rights  in 
Corea,  asserts  that  within  three  years  steamships 
will  be  running  directly  between  Shanghai  and  San 
Francisco,  '  leaving  Japan  entirely  out  in  the 
cold."  China  is  the  coming  country  for  business. 


200    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

Go  there  if  you  would  make  a  fortune — and  yet 
what  a  people  they  are!  How  one  dreads  their 
advance  as  one  would  that  of  a  pestilence  !  Under 
foreign  influence  they  can  become  a  clean  and  attract- 
ive nation — witness  the  Chinese  section  of  Euro- 
pean Shanghai,  where  are  to  be  found  clean  streets 
and  houses,  gay  signs  and  much  gilding,  sweet- 
scented  tea-houses  and  concert-halls,  and  clean 
working  people. 

But  let  us  leave  all  this  brilliancy.  Pass  beyond 
the  French  concession  to  where  old  Shanghai  stands 
in  all  its  hoary  antiquity.  You  will  be  deposited  by 
your  rickshaw  boy  at  one  of  its  many  gates,  will 
pause  a  moment  to  gaze  at  its  grimy  embattle- 
mented  wall,  and  then,  gathering  your  clothing  well 
up  and  around  you,  you  will  enter  the  city  under 
an  archway  dripping  with  foul  ooze  and  slime,  and 
over  a  moat  whose  vileness  cannot  be  described. 

Nothing  save  a  sedan-chair  can  pass  through  these 
narrow  streets,  so  narrow  that  when  two  chairs 
meet  one  must  be  taken  into  a  shop.  We  journey 
for  hours  on  foot,  and  shall  go  away,  if  not  wiser, 
certainly  very  much  sadder. 

Here  we  see  the  people  of  this  ancient  race  dwell- 
ing as  they  have  dwelt  for  centuries.  The  little 
shops  are  dingy  but  interesting,  and  the  shopmen 
seem  of  a  kindly  disposition.  This  is  the  sunny  side 
of  old  Shanghai,  but  at  any  moment,  and  it  would 
seem  at  all  moments,  one  is  likely  to  meet  with 
such  sights  and  sounds  of  woe  and  horror  that  in- 
stant flight  to  where  such  things  are  not  becomes 
necessary. 

.Yonder,  for  instance,  down  in  the  black  ooze  and 


Cavite 


201 


slime  of  that  dark  and  dismal  corner,  is  a  human 
being  such  as  we  are — a  man  in  full  prime,  who 
moans  and  sobs  and  beats  his  head  into  the  mud 
and  against  the  stones.  It  is  bitterly  cold,  and  his 
clothing  is  thin  and  ragged,  and  where  parts  of  it 
are  dragged  away  from  his  limbs  he  is  seen  to  be 
alive  with  black  small-pox.  There  is  a  God  some- 
where who  may  know  why  such  things  are  necessary, 
but  He  does  not  tell  us. 

Let  us  drop  the  curtain  on  old  Shanghai. 


CHAPTER   XXIII 


LOOKING   BACKWARD 

Present  State  of  Japan — Effect  of  the  Chinese  War — Fear  of  the  For- 
eign Residents — Eastern  Races  versus  the  American  Negro — 
Scene  in   Florida — Japanese  Application  of  Western  Civilisa--* 
tion — Their    Steamships — The    Chinese    Prisoners — Fair   Play 
Unknown — Filipinos  Compared  to  Japanese. 

JAPAN  stands  to-day  at  the  portals  of  a  new  life. 
During  the  coming  summer  she  will  be  acknow- 
ledged by  the  great  nations  as  an  equal,  and  will 
enter  upon  a  most  critical  period  in  her  national 
existence.  How  will  she  handle  herself  ?  Will  she 
select  the  road  to  comparative  peace,  or  will  she 
imitate  her  powerful  neighbour — Russia  ? 

No  nation  holds  more  friendly  feelings  towards 
the  "  land  of  the  morning"  and  its  people  than 
America,  and  much  that  I  shall  note  is  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  generally  accepted  ideas  of  our 
people  concerning  that  nation,  but  travellers  in 
those  islands  to-day  will  generally  agree  with  what 
I  shall  state.  They  will  each  and  all  of  them  ex- 
press their  doubts — grave  doubts — as  to  the  outcome 
of  the  near  future.  Passing  along,  one  must  note 
many  things  which  will  not  produce  a  favourable 

202 


Looking  Backward  203 

impression.  The  treatment  of  the  people  by  the 
police  savours  more  of  the  absolute  unreasoning 
power  of  Russia  than  of  that  to  which  Americans 
are  accustomed  from  those  servants  of  the  law  in 
their  own  land.  Those  of  my  readers  who  have 
visited  Russia  will  understand  how  much  this  por- 
tends. As  for  the  people,  if  a  man  is  so  unfort- 
unate as  to  come  into  actual  conflict  with  any  of 
them,  their  manner  of  attack  will  confirm  his  opinion 
that  the  race  is  far  from  civilised. 

One  is  struck  with  the  idea  that  Japan  is  in  a 
comatose  state  just  now.  Yokohama  has  not  im- 
proved at  all  in  ten  years,  and  the  English  and 
Americans  look  forward  with  growing  forebodings 
to  July  next,  when  that  city  will  pass  under  Japanese 
rule,  the  very  prospect  of  which,  they  say,  has 
blighted  all  the  treaty  ports.  It  is  not  believed 
that  the  war  with  China  will  benefit  Japan  in  the 
end.  It  has  made  her  people  most  ridiculously 
conceited — they  are  firmly  convinced  that  they 
know  everything  and  can  learn  nothing  further,  en- 
tirely forgetting  that  "  if  we  do  not  advance,  we 
must  decline — we  starve  in  the  possessed."  I  am 
told  that  foreigners  who  can  sell  their  property  in 
the  islands  are  fast  doing  so.  They  are  each  and 
all  very  emphatic  in  their  denunciation  of  the  Japan- 
ese character.  "  Neither  his  word  nor  his  bond  is 
of  any  value,  whereas,  once  a  Chinaman  gives  his 
word,  it  is  as  good  as  his  bond — both  are  good." 
As  to  the  honesty  of  the  Chinese  race  at  large, — I 
do  not  include  those  in  official  life, — the  fact  that 
they  are  employed  in  great  numbers  in  the  banks 
and  other  places  where  money  is  about  speaks 


204    Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

loudly  in  their  favour,  but  one  never  sees  a  Japanese 
in  such  institutions  even  in  Japan. 

Will  these  Eastern  nations  ever  accept  civilisation 
as  our  Southern  negroes  have  done  ?  Will  their 
lower  ranks  take  any  save  an  apathetic  part  therein  ? 
The  classes  have  done  so  in  Japan,  but  have  the 
masses  ?  It  does  not  strike  me  that  they  have. 

Sitting  one  day  with  my  sister  upon  the  veranda 
of  her  house  in  Florida,  our  attention  was  attracted 
by  a  comely  young  black  woman  who  had  stopped 
in  the  avenue  at  the  side  of  the  place.  She  was 
neatly  dressed  in  a  black  gown,  and  wore  a  small 
black  bonnet  on  her  nicely  combed  hair.  Taking  a 
prayer-book  and  hymnal  from  her  pocket,  she  bowed, 
and  opening  the  former  read  a  few  verses  and  then 
offered  a  prayer.  A  chapter  from  the  Bible  was 
followed  by  a  hymn,  she  reading  a  line  and  then 
singing  it,  until  she  found  we  would  join  in,  when 
the  reading  was  dropped  and  the  hymn  was  sung  to 
a  close.  Then  followed  a  short  but  excellent  dis- 
course on  "  Love  God  above  all,  and  thy  neighbour 
as  thyself,"  which  was  followed  by  another  hymn 
and  a  benediction.  Our  contributions  were  refused, 
while  she  thanked  us  for  the  honour  we  had  done 
her  by  our  attention,  and  expressed  the  hope  that 
she  might  be  allowed  to  come  again.  She  moved 
away  in  the  sunshine  and  under  the  bending  boughs 
of  the  blossoming  orange  trees,  while  we  felt  that 
our  service  had  been  quite  equal  to  any  offered  to 
Almighty  God  that  day  in  the  stately  churches  of 
Christendom.  How  long  will  it  be  before  any  such 
scene  will  occur  amongst  these  Eastern  nations  ? 

Foreign  residents  report  the  outlook  in  Japan  as 


Looking  Backward  205 

gloomy.  In  most  countries  a  man  is  deemed  inno- 
cent until  proven  guilty,  but  they  say  that  in  Japan 
the  reverse  holds. 

If  the  following  incident  is  true  the  Japanese 
must  lack  common  sense.  It  was  related  to  me  by 
the  officers  of  the  O.  &  O.  S.S.  Gaelic.  When  the 
Japanese  new  trans-Pacific  ships  for  San  Francisco 
first  came  to  Yokohama  they  were  provided  with  a 
complete  staff  of  English  officers,  men  who  had 
certificates  from  "  Lloyd's,"  which  is  the  highest 
authority  of  this  kind  in  the  world,  yet  these  men 
were  required  to  go  to  Tokio  and  pass  examinations 
before  the  Japanese  courts.  Some  did  so,  but 
others  refused.  They  could  not  be  discharged,  as 
they  were  engaged  for  three  years;  this,  however, 
did  not  deter  the  Japs  from  placing  another  staff — 
of  Japs — on  each  ship,  so  that  to-day  there  are  two 
full  staffs  of  officers.  One  would  imagine  that  this 
would  insure  good  management,  prompt  obedience 
— nothing  of  the  sort.  During  one  of  the  late  voy- 
ages the  cargo  shifted  on  one  of  the  vessels  and  the 
Jap  crew  were  ordered  to  replace  it,  but  "  declined 
to  work  on  the  [CHRISTIAN]  Sabbath"  and  only  con- 
sented to  do  so  after  extra  payment  was  offered.  It 
is  needless  to  add  that  they  were  not  of  our  faith 
and  held  no  respect  for  it. 

Those  in  authority  in  the  land  are  utterly  arbi- 
trary and  senseless  in  their  application  of  things 
taught  them  by  the  enlightened  nations.  For  in- 
stance, I  am  told  of  two  Chinese  who  were  lately  on 
a  Japanese  steamship  going  from  Seattle  to  Hong 
Kong.  The  ship  stopped  a  day  in  Yokohama,  but 
the  Chinamen  did  not  go  ashore.  A  Japanese  offi- 


206     Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

cial,  coming  on  board,  discovered  an  opium  pipe  in 
the  possession  of  one  of  the  men,  whereupon  he 
turned  them  over  to  the  police.  They  were  taken 
ashore  and  condemned  to  twelve  months  of  hard 
labour. 

Discretion,  judgment,  and  fair  play  seem  unknown 
to  the  race.  As  their  conceit  has  increased  their  art 
has  decreased  in  merit  in  like  proportion.  True, 
there  are  still  beautiful  objects  for  sale,  but  they  are 
few  and  far  between,  and  cost  more  than  they  would 
bring  in  New  York — a  state  of  affairs  very  different 
from  that  which  I  encountered  in  1890.  They  are 
a  people  of  a  different  race  and  certainly  of  a  much 
higher  degree  of  civilisation  than  the  Filipinos, 
but  if  such  a  state  of  affairs  exists  with  them,  what, 
think  you,  would  take  place  in  Luzon  if  we  gave  the 
island  over  to  the  Tagals  ?  Truly  the  last  state 
thereof  would  be  worse  than  the  first,  for  if  our 
yoke  is  shaken  off,  civilisation  will  die  out.  The 
people  must  be  guided  and  watched  over,  while  the 
quiet  influences  of  just  laws,  good  schools,  and  pure 
teaching  of  religion  are  allowed  to  exert  their  power, 
effecting  such  a  change  as  the  missionaries  accom- 
plished with  the  Hawaiians;  but  the  task  will  prove 
more  difficult,  for  we  must  undo  the  terrible  work 
of  the  last  three  centuries,  must  give  them  religious 
teachers — Catholic  and  Protestant — free  from  scan- 
dal, instructors  whom  they  can  respect, — then  in 
another  century,  if  we  are  true  to  this  trust  which 
has  been  thrust  upon  us,  the  world  will  read  a  far 
different  story  of  the  Philippine  Islands. 


INDEX 


Adam's  Bridge,  i 
Agra,  1 6 

Aguinaldo,  125,  126,  171,  178 
"  A-kyan  say,"  the,  89 
Alameda,  Cavite,  193 
Alderman,  198 
Alhambra,  the,  127,  128 
Amarapura,  63,  67,  91 
America,  North,  29,  44,  195 
America,  South,  195,  196 
Anada  Pagoda,  96,  97,  98 
Anglo-Indian,  31 
Announcer,  The,  171 
Aracan  Pagoda,  91,  92 
Ararat,  Mt.,  191 
Archbishop,  the,  152,  162 
Armada,  the,  195 
Asia,  i 
Asiatics,  187 

Augustines,  the,  152,  156 
Australia,  117,  190 
Ayoehya,  King  of,  6 

Ballaarat,  the,  198 
Bangalore,  15,  16,  18,  19 
Beato,  Signior,  83 
Benares,  27 

Bengal,  Bay  of,  I,  41,  44 
Bhamo,  50,  53,  57,  6q 


Black  Death,  36 

Black  Hole,  the,  143 

Black  Town,  37 

Blanco,  General,  170 

Blood  brotherhood,  171 

Boero  Boda,  33 

Bombay,  15,  16 

Boston,  the,  191 

Brahma,  4,  7,  13 

Brahmin,  5,  6,  42 

British,  63 

British  Empire,  42 

Buddha,  34,  53,  70,  73,  76,  77, 

78,  79,  80,  82,  92,  96,  98 
Buddhas,  97,  101,  104,  105,  106 
Buddhism,  8 1 
Buddhists,  34,  77,  80,  81,  82,  96, 

98 

Bunker  Hill,  114 
Burma,  42,  44,  49,  51,  54,  57,  60, 

63,  64,  66,  72,  73,  80,  86 
Burmans,  65 
Burmese,  69,  70,  76,  87 
Burmese  life,  86 
Burmese  women,  84 
Butterfly  spirit,  75 

Camaya,  197 

Campos  santos,  the,  130,  163 


207 


208 


Index 


Carlos,  Don,  195 

Carmen,  121 

Catacombs,  130 

Cathedral  of  Manila,  137,  138 

Catholic,  206 

Catholic  mission,  9 

Cavite,  117,  191,  192,  193 

Cebu,  Bishop  of,  155 

Celestial  Empire,  52,  60 

Celestials,  63 

Cemetery,  the  Chinese,  120 

Ceylon,  i,  6 

Chapultepec,  112 

Charleston,  the,  191 

Charles  V.,  119,  195 

China,  23,  49,  57,  59,  63,  199 

Chinamen,  205 

Chinese,  49,  50,  53,  60,  63,  i85) 

203,  205 
Cholera,  44 
Christendom,  204 
Christian,  205 
Christina,  Queen,  137 
"  City  of  Gems,"  63 
Cobra,  the,  10,  38 
Colombo,  2,  8,  10,  23 
Comorin,  Cape,  36 
Concord,  113 
Concord,  the,  191 
Consort,  Prince,  114 
Coromandel  coast,  36 
Corregidor,  191,  197,  198 
Cortez,  199 

"Cristobal  Colon,"  193 
Cross,  the  Christian,  198 
Cross,  the  Southern,  198 
Cuba,  195 
Cubans,  in 

Dandaka,  forest  of,  6 
Dark  Ages,  the,  66,  196 


Dasaratha,  6 

De  Anda,  Simon,  146 

Delhi,  16,  27 

De  Lua,  141 

Dewey,  Admiral,  115,  189,  190, 

197 

Diaz,  Dictator,  112 
Dominicans,  the,  156 
Don  Juan  de  Austria,  the,  199 
Dookoht,  78 
Dragon  throne,  66 
Drake,  Admiral,  195 
Dreams,  76 
Durbars,  29 

East  India  Company,  181 
Edgeware  Road,  86 
Edison,  42 
Egypt,  21,  34 
Elephants,  53,  54,  55,  56 
Elephants,  white,  71 
Elizabeth  of  France,  195 
Elphinstone  Hotel,  37 
Empress  Dowager,  69 
England,  34,  40,  49,  66,  69,  187, 

196 

English  Club,  186 
English  Hotel,  the,  121 
Englishmen,  89 
English,  the,  48,  69 
Escolta,  the,  121,  127,  128,  168. 

172 

Escorial,  the,  195 
Eurasian,  17 

Farther  India,  46 
Fatherland,  the,  196 
Filipinos,  206 
Fire  Island,  167 

F ,  Colonel,  173 

Fire  tree,  175 


Index 


209 


Florida,  204 

"  Forsaken  of  God,"  the,  36 
Fraile,  198 
Franciscan,  197 
Franciscans,  156 
Friars,  the,   153,   154,   155,   *56, 
157,  158,  180 

Gaddanes,  the,  175 

Gaelic,  the,  205 

Ganges,  36 

Garrote,  the,  149,  150 

Gautama  Buddha,  97,  106 

"  Gawnagohng,"  97 

Germans,  the,  no,  in 

Gethsemane,  Garden  of,  108 

Golden  lilies,  tank  of  the,  25,  26, 

27 

Golden  Monastery,  74 
Golgotha,  130 
Gopuras,  26,  34 
Gordon,  General,  42,  109 
Graphic,  The,  18 
Great  Britain,  70,  113,  114 

Hall  of  Audience,  30,  32,  66,  67, 

69 

Halsted,  Murat,  123 
Hanuman,  4,  6,  7 
Havana,  in 
Hawaiians,  the,  206 
Hayti,  179 
Heller,  10 
Hermann,  10 
Himalayas,  the,  46 
Hindoo,  i,  3,  4.  5,  6.  13,  17,  23, 

27,  33,  34,  38 
Holland,  180 
Hong  Kong,  198,  199 
Hunt,  Mr.  Leigh,  199 

Iloilo,  126 


Incas,  the,  194 
Incomparable  pagoda,  74 
India,  23,  39,  40 
Indian  Ocean,  I 
Inquisition,  the,  195 
Irrawaddy,  the,  46,  51,  60,  62, 

83,  89,  93 

Isabella,  Queen,  131 
Is  la  de  Cuba,  the,  199 
Isla  de  Luzon,  the,  199 
Italy,  29,  53 

Jafna,  9 

Janizaries,  60 

Japan,    23,    87,    199,    202,   203, 

204,  205 
Japanese,  205 
Java,  23,  25,  85,  180,  181 
Jesuits,  142 
Jewels,  5 
Jymkhana  Club,  48 

Kadawing,  84 
Kaladit,  78 
Kandy,  Gulf  of,  i 
Karthay,  50,  51,  60 
Karttikeya,  34 
Kathapa,  97 
Katipunan,  the,  170 
"  Kauk-Kathan,"  97 
Khan,  the  Great,  93,  94,  95 
Khartoum,  109 
Kossuth,  179 
Kremlin,  the,  64 
Krupp  guns,  118,  147 
"  Kyaik-htee-yoh,"  92 

Lanka,  King  of,  6 
Leogryphs,  96,  103,  107 
Lily  throne,  the,  68 
Lingam,  7 


2IO 


Index 


Lloyd's,  205 

London  News,  The,  91 

Low  Countries,  195 

Luneta,  the,  146,  147 

Luzon  Island,  170,  175,  185,  206 

Madras,  36,  38,  39,  40 
Madras  Government,  2,  14 
Madras  Presidency,  15 
Madura,  23,  24,  26,  27 
Magellan,   136 
Magicians,  Indian,  10 
Mahdi,  the,  109 
Maia,  Queen,  92 
Maine,  the,  in,  112 

Major  H ,  42,  44,  63 

Malabar  Hill,  19,  21 

Malate,  123,  124,  131,  146,  147, 

165 

Manar,  Gulf  of,  I 
Mandalay,  50,  60,  62,  63,  64,  65, 

66,  69,  70,  71,  72,  73,  83,  90, 

91,  98 

Mandalay  Hill,  70 
Mangammal,  Queen,  26 
Mango-tree  trick,  10 
Manila,  70,  109,  112,   116,  117, 

n8,  120,   130,  133,  134,  136, 

137,  182,  183,  185,  186,  197 
Manila  Bay,  189,  194 
Maoris,  176 
Marco  Polo,  93 
Marivelas,  198 
Mason,  114 
Mecca,  2,  23 
Mexico,  112,  185,  197 
Mexico,  City  of,  124,  194 
Mien,  93 
Mindanao,  175 

Mindohn  Min,  King,  62,  63,  103 
Mingun  Pagoda,  62 


Mitchell,  Lieutenant,  166 
Moguls,  63 

Mohammedans,  23,  81 
Monadnock,  the,  146,  168,  191 
Monja,  198 
Monsoon,  i,  36 
Montauk  Point,  167 
Monterey,  the,  168,  191 
Moors,  the,  195 
Moslem,  27 
Moulmein,  54,  92 
Museum,  Mexico,  198 

Nagapatam,  2 
Napoleon,  190 
"Nat-dewah's,"  93 
Nautch  girls,  42 
Negritos,  the,  174,  175,  176 
Negroes,  American,  204 
Neh'ban,  79,  81 
New  Zealand,  117 
Nile,  Valley  of  the,  51 
Nirvana,  96,  97 
Northern  India,  51 

Observatory,  the,  150,  151 
Ocean,  Indian,  13,  36 
Olympia,  the,  127,  191,  193,  196, 

197 

Omdurman,  42 
Opium  pipe,  206 
Oriental,  6 
Oriental  Hotel,  10 
Oriente  Hotel,  119 
Otis,  General,  126,  129,  136 
Outacamund,  15 

Paco  campo  santo,  162,  163 
Pagahn,  91,  93,  94,  95,  96,  97,  98 
Pagoda,  51,  60,  92 
Pampas-grass,  51 


Index 


211 


Parsis,  18,  19,  21,  23 

Paumben,  2 

Payah,  101 

Pegu,  69,  101 

Phallus,  7 

Philip  II.,  195 

Philippines,   44,    117,    141,   185, 

187,  188,  195,  206 
Pizarro,  194 
Plague,  bubonic,  18 
Plague,  the,  14 
Poinciana  regia,  37 
Pondicherry,  36 
Pontefract  Castle,  26 
Poonah, 17 
Porto  Rico,  195 
Port  Philip,  190 
Prome,  60,  95 
Protestant,  206 

Quarantine,  38 
Queen  Dowager,  69 
Queen's  court,  32 
Queen,  the,  69,  114 

Rajah,  24,  30 

Raleigh,  the,  115 

Rama,  6,  7 

Rameswaram,  I,  2,  3,  4,  5,  6,  8, 

27 
Rangoon,  42,  46,  47,  48,  49,  52, 

54,  71,  84,  89,  92, 101,  102, 106 
Ravana,  6,  7 
Recollects,  the,  156 
Rest-house,  2 
Rio  Grande,  the,  185 
Romanists,  9 
Rotten  Row,  71 
Rupees,  lacs  of,  5 
Russia,  202,  203 

St.  Andrew's,  139 


St.  Augustines,  146 

St.  Lawrence,  51 

St.  Peter's  Cathedral,  4 

Sam  Paloc,  130 

Sanctuaries,  5 

Santa   Clara,    Convent    of,    137, 

157.  !58,  159,  160,  161,  197 
Santa  Lucia,  Paseo  of,  146 
Santiago,  194 
Santiago,  Fort,  140 
Santo  Domingo  Convent,  145, 197 
Santo  Domingo  Island,  179 
Sarkie's  Hotel,  47,  48 
Sarong,  the,  85 
Scala  Santa,  the,  103 
Shanghai,  198,  199,  200,  201 
Shan  Hills,  62 

Shiva,  4,  7,  8,  23,  25,  26,  27,  34 
Shway  Dagohn  Pagoda,  92,  101 
Sirdar,  the,  109 
Sita,  6 
Slidell,  114 
Solano,  General,  155 
Soudan,  the,  109 
Southern  India,  I,  6,  7,  14,  33, 

34,  36,  37,  5i 
Spain,  194,  195,  196 
Spaniards,  126,  172,  196,  199 
Spanish  Bridge,  128,  147,  151 
Stevens,  Chaplain,  161,  162,  163 
Sumatra,  181 

Tagalos,  128,  130,  172,  177, 178, 

186,  187,  206 
Taj,  the,  27 
Tanjore,  14,  33,  34,  35 
Tanjore,  Rajah  of,  30 
Tartar,  95 

Tasman  Sea,  the,  117 
Tattooing,  87,  88 
Teak-wood,  53 


212 


Index 


"  Teocalli,"  the,  194 

Theebaw,   King,  62,  64,  67,  68, 

69 

Thibetans,  60 

Times,  The,  17,  18,  171,  172 
Titania,  Queen,  148 
Tokio,  205 
Torquemada,  195 
Torralba,  141 
Towers  of  Silence,  180 
Transcaspia,  47 
Trichinopoly,  14 
Turkestan,  21,  23 
Tuticorin,  22 

Upper  Burman  Club,  63,  68 

Venice,  Doge  of,  71 
Vigilant,  the,  191 
Virginius,  the,  in 


Visaya  tribes,  197 

Vishnu,  6 

Von  Diederichs,  Admiral,    in, 

"5 
Vultures,  19,  21 

Washington,  Mt.,  191 
Weir,  Dr.,  17 
West  Indies,  the,  185 
Whittier,  190 
Wilkinson,  Mr.,  2 
Wilson,  Mr.,  118 
Wood-carving,  83 

Yoe,  Shway,  64,  68,  89,  102 
Yokohama,  203,  205 
Yorktown,  113 
Younghusband,  Major,  155 

Zafiro,  the,  190,  196 


BOOKS  OF  TRAVEL 


Camping  in  the  Canadian  Rockies 

An  Account  of  Camp  Life  in  the  Wilder  Parts  of  the  Canadian 
Rocky  Mountains,  together  with  a  Description  of  the 
Region  about  Banff,  Lake  Louise,  and  Glacier,  and  a  Sketch 
of  the  Early  Explorations.  By  WALTER  DWIGHT  WILCOX. 
With  25  full-page  photogravures,  and  many  text  illustra- 
tions from  photographs  by  the  author.  Second  edition, 
with  map.  Large  8°,  gilt  top,  $3.00. 

"  Mr.  Wilcox's  work  will  be  a  treat  to  the  general  reader,  for  adventure, 
science,  history,  sport,  mountain-climbing,  natural  history,  and  the  varied 
experiences  of  camp  life  are  all  depicted  with  the  skill  of  a  fine  descriptive 
writer  and  the  verve  of  a  man  in  love  with  the  life  he  tells  about." — The 
Chicago  Evening  Post. 

Two  Women  in  the  Klondike 

The  Story  of  a  Journey  to  the  Gold-Fields  of  Alaska.  By 
MARY  E.  HITCHCOCK.  With  a  map  of  Alaska  and  over 
100  illustrations  from  photographs.  8°,  $3.00. 

The  volume  presents  the  record  of  a  journey  undertaken  in  the  summer 
of  1898  to  the  gold-fields  of  Alaska.  Mrs.  Hitchcock's  journal  is  a  faithful 
record  of  her  experiences,  and  is  written  in  a  vivacious  manner  and  is  full  of 
interesting  incidents.  The  volume  is  enriched  by  over  100  illustrations,  and 
will  contain  an  authoritative  map  of  Alaska,  showing  the  trails  and  steam- 
boat routes  to  the  gold-fields. 

Alaska 

Its  History  and  Resources,  Gold-Fields,  Routes,  and  Scenery. 
By  MINER  BRUCE.  Second  edition,  revised  and  enlarged. 
With  62  illustrations  and  six  folding  maps.  8°,  $2.50. 

Mr.  Miner  Bruce  is  an  authority  on  Alaska,  having  travelled  for  ten 
years  in  the  territory  in  the  interest  of  the  government  and  also  in  connection 
with  private  enterprises.  He  has  had,  therefore,  ample  opportunity  to  ex- 
plore the  country,  and  his  experience  has  enabled  him  to  write  upon  this 
subject  in  an  interesting  and  authoritative  manner. 

Mr.  Bruce's  volume  includes  a  brief  history  of  the  territory,  together 
with  detailed  information  concerning  its  resources,  these  comprising  among 
other  things,  minerals,  fur,  timber,  and  fish.  The  work  also  contains  a  full 
description  of  the  various  mining  camps  and  the  routes  thither.  Practical 
suggestions  are  given  which  will  prove  of  great  value  to  those  who  may  be 
planning  to  engage  in  prospecting,  and  also  to  those  who  may  wish  to  visit 
Alaska,  in  order  to  enjoy  the  marvellous  scenery  offered  by  its  mountains  and 
rivers,  its  glaciers  and  lakes,  and  the  interest  always  attaching  to  life  in 
mining  districts,  especially  when,  coupled  with  this,  there  is  opportunity  of 
studying  native  character  and  conditions. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS.  NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 


BOOKS  OF  TRAVEL 


The  Yang=tse  Valley  and  Beyond 

An  Account  of  Journeys  in  Central  and  Western  China, 
especially  in  the  Province  of  Tze-Chuan,  and  among 
the  Mant-Zu  of  the  Tsu-Kuh-Shaw  Mountains.  By 
ISABELLA  L.  BIRD  (Mrs.  Bishop),  F.R.G.S.,  author 
of  "  Unbeaten  Tracks  in  Japan,"  etc.  With  maps 
and  about  100  full-page  illustrations  from  photo- 
graphs by  the  author.  2  vols.,  8°. 

A  Prisoner  of  the  Khaleefa 

Twelve  Years'  Captivity  at  Omdurman.  By  CHARLES 
NEUFELD.  With  36  illustrations.  8°. 

This  very  important  book  gives  Mr.  Neufeld's  own  account  of 
his  experiences  during  his  twelve  years'  captivity  at  Omdurman.  He 
set  out  from  Cairo  in  1887  on  a  trading  expedition  to  Kordofan,  but 
was  betrayed  by  his  Arab  guides  into  the  hands  of  the  Dervishes,  and 
carried  by  his  captors  to  the  Khaleefa  at  Omdurman.  There  he  was 
thrown  into  prison,  loaded  with  fetters,  led  out  for  execution,  and 
threatened  with  instant  death  unless  he  would  embrace  the  tenets  of 
Mahdism,  but  was  spared  for  reasons  of  the  Khaleefa's  own,  and 
kept  a  close  prisoner.  He  gives  the  most  vivid  account  of  his  life  in 
the  prison,  of  his  fellow-prisoners,  of  the  Khaleefa's  government, 
and  of  his  own  attempts  to  escape. 

Quaint  Corners  of  Ancient  Empires 

Southern  India,  Burma,  and  Manila.  By  MICHAEL 
MYERS  SHOEMAKER,  author  of  "  Islands  of  the 
Southern  Seas,"  etc.  Fully  illustrated.  8°,  gilt  top. 

In  this  new  volume  the  author  takes  his  readers  on  a  flying  trip 
through  Southern  India  and  Burma — those  relics  of  ancient  empires 
which  are  fast  changing  under  the  swift  progress  of  civilization. 
From  Burma  Mr.  Shoemaker  went  to  Manila,  and  was  able  to 
gather  much  interesting  material  concerning  this  section  of  the 
Philippines.  No  spot  upon  the  globe  is  of  more  interest  to  Ameri- 
cans at  the  present  day  than  Manila,  and  it  is  essential  that  the  real 
condition  of  things  should  be  clearly  understood. 


G.  P.  PUTNAM'S  SONS,     NEW  YORK  AND  LONDON 


University  of  California 

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